The Bridge
by winduprunner
Summary: It turns out that Teresa wasn't alone when she was sent up into the glade. No there was another girl, Sadie. But somethings not right, as Sadie forms friendships with the gladers she starts to realize, she's been here before. She's seen all this before. But one thing's for sure she'll do anything to help get her and her friends out. Told through Newt and Sadie's eyes.
1. The Box

Sadie woke up to darkness. Her body was pressed against an icy metal floor and the cold seemed to almost seep into her bones. Her breaths came out ragged and desperate as she attempted to pull her self up. Her arms shook as she managed to sit up and take in the suffocating darkness that surrounded her, the first thought she had was that she had gone blind. But as the inky blackness started to outline the shapes around her Sadie sighed in relief. _Where am I? _Sadie hauled herself onto her knees and groaned her whole body ached like she'd been run over by a bulldozer and the swift movement had caused stars to dance in her eyes. _No. Come on._ She commanded herself trying to shake away her dizziness and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She looked around curiously finding nothing but the outlines of enclosed walls, and from what she could tell, she was trapped.

"Where am I?" She said, out loud the words clawing their way out of her throat in a raspy and croaky manner. Sadie waited nervously and was slightly relieved when she heard only her own uneven breaths and the pounding of her heart against her chest. Sadie shuffled over to the nearest wall. Her hands shook as she ran them over the surface of it, hoping to find a light-switch, a doorknob, _anything. _But her fingertips didn't find so much as a dent in the smooth metal. _No! Come on!_ Sadie thought desperately panic beginning to set in as she clawed at the wall, nothing. Sadie groaned loudly and began crawling away from the wall using her hands to guide her as she felt around, pressing her palms into the hard floor, her fingertips brushing nothing but sleek metal. She was about to give up when her hand brushed against something warm, squishy, and… _alive! _

"Holy shit!" Sadie yelped backpedaling in surprise. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the walls seemed to grow closer. She wasn't the only one anymore. Sadie pressed her back into the wall, praying that whatever _it _was wouldn't come near her. "Keep it together Sadie." She instructed herself. Trying to even out her breathing as she tried to melt away into the corner…. Wait.

_Sadie? _

Was that her name? She searched her memory but found nothing but the word Sadie. She spoke her name out loud again, it seemed to roll off her tongue and take place in her head like a puzzle piece. Sadie squeezed her eyes shut hoping for another familiar memory to surface but found nothing. Her name, _Sadie, _was the only thing she was sure of. Her head began to spin as Sadie attempted to grasp onto memories that were no longer there. She scooted farther away from the thing she had felt earlier and massaged her temples as a pounding headache began to form in her skull.

She had a family right? Parents? Well obviously she had parents but where were they? Sadie was beginning to think she should scope out the mysterious… _thing_ again, when an alarm rang out and red emergency lights started flashing. Sadie jumped to her feet her head snapping down to the floor as a figure was bathed in the dim red light. It was another girl. Sadie walked over cautiously her eyes taking in the girls pale arms and black hair. She looked around anxiously unsure of what she should do. But there was nothing. Nothing but sleek metal walls and the other girl. Cautiously Sadie nudged the girls side with the tip of her shoe and nearly jumped out of her skin when the girl's eyes fluttered open. She looked around, her eyes wide and haunted, her limbs shaking as she struggled to her feet.

"Who-?" But before the girl could say anything further a shockwave of pain went through Sadie sending her reeling into the closest wall. The girl must have felt it to because she stumbled and gasped. The girl stumbled forward, catching herself on the opposite wall as Sadie stared at her in disbelief and shock. Sadie knew her.

"Sadie?"

"Teresa?" Sadie and the girl locked eyes. Sadie took in the girls terrified and panicked expression and figured that she probably looked just as scared. The name Teresa seemed to fit in Sadie's head almost as well as her own name. She couldn't remember how she knew this girl, or when she had met her, or why they were both here but she definitely remembered _her. _Sadie's brain recognized her and at the moment it felt like one of the most comforting things in the world to be able to remember something other than her name.

"I know you. We- we're friends?" Teresa said quietly her eyes wide in shock. "I mean I know we're friends. I can't explain it. But I just don't know-"

"How we know each other. Or how we met. Or anything?" Sadie finished voicing her thoughts as Teresa nodded and took in their surroundings. Sadie was about to ask more when a voice spoke. It was a nasily, arrogant voice that seemed to seep from the walls themselves.

"Welcome to Wicked experiment group A." The voice announced, "You two will serve as variables for now. Sadie your job is to protect Teresa. Deliver the message _Everything's going to change _and give them this. Do not fail." And with that the voice shut off as quickly as it had turned on leaving the two of them in a hallow silence. A slot in the side of the wall ground open revealing a small folded piece of paper. Teresa reached over and grabbed the note crumbling the paper between her fist as the lights around them seemed to flash more urgently, almost as if the were warning them about what was to come.

"What's it say?" Sadie asked nervously breaking into the silence. Before Teresa could answer the sides of the walls started rumbling, and jerked upward sending the two of them careening into the walls. Sadie yelped in surprise as the room began to soar upward at breakneck speed. "Teresa! What's going on!" Sadie screamed as she tried to regain her footing. "Teresa?" Sadie looked around and watched in horror as Teresa's eyes rolled up and she collapsed into a heap on the ground. "Teresa!" Sadie yelled rushing to her side, as the box continued to soar up like a hellish elevator ride. She shook the girls shoulders but was suddenly hit by a wave of nausea herself. Sadie tried to shake her friend awake again but had to quickly roll away from Teresa as bile began to rise in her throat. Sadie dragged herself into the farthest corner and curled into a tight ball. Was it just her or had the box gotten colder? She shivered uncontrollably as a tsunami of pain and dizziness rolled through her. Sweat began to drip off of her face as her shaking limbs began to spasm with pain. "_Help!" _Sadie screamed her head ringing with pain. The pain was quickly becoming too much for her. The walls rumbled and groaned around her sending chills down her spine as the sound of grinding metal sent her hair on end. And as the box shot upward Sadie couldn't help but feel a sense of dejavu as she slowly blacked out.

Sadie jolted awake as the metal box came to a jarring stop. The overwhelming pain she had felt before had faded into a dull ache in her temples and bones, leaving her exhausted both physically and mentally. Another alarm rang out, but it was fainter this time. And suddenly the ceiling opened up like a lid flooding the entire room with blinding sunlight. Sadie yelped and blocked her eyes from the sting of the light. Sadie could here chattering around her but one voice spoke above the rest.

"_They're girls?"_

Blinking back the black dots in her vision Sadie looked around her to discover that her and Teresa were surrounded. Boys of all age, race, and size crowded the edge of the box all of them pushing each other out of the way to get a look inside.

"I call dibs!" A voice from the crowd rang out.

"Are they hot?" Another one called.

"How old are they?" Sadie's head began to spin again as more voices shouted out from the group of boys. Sadie struggled to her feet, her legs trembling as adrenaline began to course through her veins. She felt weak and tired but if these boys turned out to be dangerous she wanted to go out fighting, and on her own two feet.

"Shut your shuck faces!" A tall dark skinned boy yelled from the edge of the box sending a wave of silence through the crowd. The boy kneeled down and hung his head over the box locking his eyes on her and Teresa as another boy peered over the first one's shoulder. Sadie's senses were sent into overdrive as she backed up and stood over Teresa protectively. The voices instructions echoing in her mind as she raised her fist defensively. _I have to protect Teresa. I have to protect her. _

* * *

Newt pushed his way through to the front of the crowd right as the box started to open up. He peered inside curiously. This wasn't right. It wasn't supposed to come now. Ever since Thomas had arrived everything had started changing. "Would you lot shut it!" He yelled trying to hold back the curious Gladers as the Box doors groaned open. Sure, Newt had seen plenty of weird and disturbing things in the Glade, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw in the box.

The doors opened to reveal…

"_They're girls?" _Newt said in utter disbelief, two of them to be exact. And it only looked as if one of them was alive. Immediately every boy began to push forward all of them trying to sneak a peek into the Box. Newt watched as one of the girls clambered to her feet, eyes wide as she took in the sight of them all. The girl was small but built like a long distance runner, with brown hair that fell in wild curls around her face. Her size did nothing to affect how intimidating she seemed. Her eyes whipped around the edges of the Box drinking in their surroundings and making Newt feel like he'd just been x-rayed. She looked intimidating alright. Intimidating and beautiful. The other girl was of about average height with pale arms and legs and long raven black hair. From where Newt was standing it didn't even look like the other one was breathing, but either way the shucks around him still took the chance and immediately started cat- calling.

"Shut your shuck faces!" Alby ordered as he leaned over the edge of the Box and looked down at the two girls. "What's this about Newt? What the shuck is going on?" Newt could only shake his head in confusion his eyes transfixed on the new Greenies. Newt had no idea what was going on. There had never, _ever_, been any girls in the Glade until now. He didn't know why it was just the way things had always been, he had no idea why things would start to change now, but the thought filled him with a queasy uneasiness. "Well guess we gotta take 'em out of there." Alby said waving forward two boys who sent ropes spilling down into the box. Newt walked over to the side and slowly clambered down favoring his good leg when he finally reached the floor. Newt's appearance in the Box seemed to send the girl into an even greater panic. She stumbled backward her breathing coming out even faster and ragged.

"Alby don't send anyone else down just yet. I think it'll freak the bugging life outa her.'' He called up, before focusing his attention back on the girl. Newt gazed at her warily, she had a ferocious look in her eyes that seemed to send out a warning. Her arms and legs were shaking, whether from exhaustion or fright, Newt couldn't say but while the rest of her seemed terrified and unstable her eyes watched him with a steady, challenging gaze. And he didn't doubt that she could seriously cause some damage. "Hey there Greenie- I mean girl. We aren't going to hurt you." Newt said in a soothing tone, trying his best not to make any sudden movements. The girl just continued to stare him down, but her adrenaline was noticeably fading. She was swaying on her feet as he spoke. "We can get you and your friend outa here. Get you two somewhere safe." Newt tried again, raising his arms up to show he had no weapons. The girl looked down at her friend and back up to him, her eyes burrowing holes into his forehead as she took in what he had said. She took a shaky step forward using the wall for support. When it seemed like she had steadied herself, she turned towards her friend and stooped down sliding her arms under the other girls, with a grunt the girl began to drag her friend towards Newt her eyes clearly stating that she wanted no help. When the girl finally made it to the pile of ropes Newt reached out his hand, only to have it be slapped away and ignored. The girl kneeled down and began to tie the rope expertly around the girl, her fingers flying as she tied each knot with ease. When she was done and when her friend had been safely hauled out of the box she turned her attention back on Newt. He tried again and held his hand out for her his other hand gripping the rope tightly.

"It's okay. You can trust me."

* * *

Sadie felt like she was going to have a heart attack. She wasn't sure but something in the back of her mind told her that she hadn't seen a boy in along time. And suddenly _BAM_ they were all over the freaking place. One of the boys lowered himself down a rope until he landed in the box with a thud. Sadie felt her breathing quicken as she backed up even further, the back of her heel brushing against Teresa's arm. _Stay calm. Whatever you do, just don't panic._ Sadie focused her attention on the boy, her eyes scanning him up and down as he began to talk to her. He was tall, much taller than Sadie, with toned arms, messy blonde hair, and a mischievous edge to his jawline and features. He spoke to her softly but Sadie could only register half of what he was saying. Her head was spinning like a top and her heart was beating so fast she felt like it might explode.

"_safe." _That was the one thing Sadie did catch. _Safe _the word seemed to have a hollow and false ring to it when she mulled it over in her head. But the boy before her said it like a promise, his accented voice gruff and sincere as he watched her. Sadie looked from the boy to Teresa the gears in her mind grinding in confusion as they tried to evaluate what was happening through the oncoming migraine. Could these be the people they needed to give the message to? Or were they the one's Sadie had to protect Teresa from? _Maybe both. _Whatever the case Sadie could feel her body shaking with exhaustion. She at least had to get them out of the damn metal box. Sadie shakily bent over and dragged Teresa over to the boy, smacking away his hand she grabbed one of the ropes and began to wind it around Teresa. Sadie didn't know how she did it but her fingers seemed to as they tied the rope quickly around her, tugging knots around her friend tightly until she had made a sort of harness for her. Sadie watched anxiously as Teresa was hauled out and then she turned back around to face the blonde guy.

"It's okay. You can trust me." He said holding out his hand again to her. Sadie felt like scoffing, she just met the guy for god's sake. She was in a place she didn't know, surrounded by people she didn't know, and worse of all she didn't even know who she was. But what other choice did she have? Sadie stared into the guys hazel eyes taking in the stained glass mixture of blues, greens, and browns. His eyes glinted with intelligence and something sadder, darker. They were the eyes of someone who had seen too many bad things. Sadie couldn't help but wonder if her eyes looked the same way. And then she accepted his hand.


	2. Nightmares and Notes

The guy grabbed Sadie's forearm, his warm hands chasing away the chill from the box, and helped her clamber out of the box before setting her down by Teresa. The group of boys pushed in closer around them, trapping them in a circle of testosterone. Sadie immediately rushed over to her friend's side and began to shake her shoulders, all the while doing her best to ignore the insistent chatter around her. _Come on Teresa wake up. Please wake up. _Sadie shook her again and checked her pulse. There was a feathery heartbeat but Teresa still wouldn't budge.

"I think she's dead." The dark skinned boy said from behind her. Sadie's head snapped up and she whirled on him furiously.

"She ain't dead!" Sadie hissed, another boy from the circle stepped forward and snickered. The boy was large and built, with a pair of thin squinting eyes that he used to peer down at her past his large bulbous nose.

"So she does talk." The guy said earning a few snickers from the crowd. Sadie focused an icy glare on him. Sadie couldn't remember who or when but she knew she'd dealt with people like him before. The one's that liked to act so tough and play the bully. _Oh please. _

"Yeah, isn't that funny? How everyone talks but some _people_ shouldn't.'' Sadie growled, earning more than a laugh or two from the crowd of boys. She knelt back over Teresa again, pleased to see that her biting remark had left the sucker speechless. But Sadie didn't have time to gloat; Teresa was in trouble or worse.. _You just met her._

Sadie shook the thought from her head she didn't know why but she knew Teresa was her friend, her best friend and at the moment it was the only thing she was sure of. Her head swam again as she tried to grip onto a solid memory. _Why can't I remember? Why! _Sadie looked down at her friend panic gripping her heart again. _Wake up! _With a gasp Teresa sprang up, Sadie yelped in surprise and jumped backwards landing on her butt in the grass.

"_Everything is going to change." _Teresa said in a hollow, haunted voice. Chills raced down Sadie's spine, as Teresa's warning seemed to dampen the air with a foreboding mood. Before Teresa could say anything else she slumped over again her arm sticking straight up with the note gripped tightly in her fist. Sadie crawled over and pried the girl's hand open, taking the note and crumpling it in her hand angrily. Sadie's blood began to boil, she had never felt so angry. Who had done this to them? Who had done this to any of them? Sadie knew one thing for sure, whoever had sent her and Teresa here was going to pay. She'd make sure of that. She sprung to her feet and turned towards the dark guy and the blonde one, they were still at the front of the pack watching her curiously, and they seemed to be the ones in charge.

"Here!" She shouted angrily tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she tried to force them away. She was mad. Mad that she was there, that Teresa was passed out, and that she was crying. _I never asked for this! I never asked for any of this! _Sadie didn't know why but this all felt too familiar. Like she had been through this before, and she was tired of it. "Take it! This is what they sent us for! To deliver that freaking message and give you this freaking paper! So _take it_!" She yelled waving the note in the boy's faces, causing the both of them to back up as she ranted crazily. Sadie felt like punching something anything, her mind kept telling her to fight or flight but her body suggested otherwise as her vision began to blur. Sadie could feel her body tremble and she started swaying towards the two guys. She felt like all of the energy had suddenly spilled out of her. And her headache had turned into a full-blown migraine, it felt like someone was driving a stake through her temples. She staggered again her eyes dancing with black spots as she struggled to stay standing.

"Somebody grab her! She's going to-" but whatever else they were going to say was cut off when Sadie slumped forward her body falling into the chest of someone. _Shit._

* * *

The girl toppled over into Newt's chest, Newt and Alby each grabbed an arm before she could go face first into the dirt. She was out cold. Newt had never seen anything like this, sure every Greenie was a bit disorientated when they first showed up, but never anything like this. _What did those bastards do to you? _Newt wondered scooping her up carefully while Alby pried her hand open and read the note aloud.

"_They're the last ones. Ever." _The boys all fell into an uneasy silence each of them looking around curiously. Alby turned towards Newt his eyebrows furrowed. "What the shuck's going on Newt?" He asked looking from one girl to the other. Silence hung over the glade like a storm cloud as every boy stood and watched, waiting for what would happen next. "Med-jacks!" Alby shouted. Clint and Jeff pushed their way through the crowd and stopped in front of Newt they looked at the girls awkwardly.

"What do you want us to do?" Clint asked eyeing the two girls warily as if waiting for one of them to snap awake and spout more hazy messages.

"You're the bloody Med-jacks, see what's wrong with them you slint heads!" Newt growled impatiently rolling his eyes at their dimness. Clint stepped forward and gingerly took each girls pulse. The other boys immediately started cat calling again.

"I'm next!" One of them hollered from the crowd sending all of the boys around them into fits of laughter and _whoops _of joy. Alby froze and turned in a slow circle, silencing the group as he looked each boy in the eye.

"Ain't nobody gonna touch these girls. Understand? If we catch anybody trying anything I'll throw you off the shucking cliff myself. No questions!" Alby yelled before turning back towards Clint and Jeff. "What's wrong with them?"

"Looks like that one's in a coma. And that one," he said pointing towards the girl in Newt's arms, "Is just passed out dehydrated too. She should be up again by tomorrow." Newt looked down at the girl again before passing her to Clint.

"Take them back to the Homestead, set them up in one of the rooms." Clint nodded, him and Jeff each grabbing a girl and heading off. "Watch them closely. I'll be by to check on them later." Newt called after them shaking his head in confusion as he watched them go. What did all of this mean? Why would the Creators send up these girls? And why the bugging note?

"Call a Gathering Newt." Alby whispered, low enough so only Newt could hear. Newt gave him a curt nod and patted Alby on the shoulder and waving him off. Newt turned towards Thomas and watched him carefully. Thomas looked about as confused as he felt, but there was something else. He still looked pale and nervous, but Newt had to make sure.

"Did you recognize them?" Newt said motioning for Thomas to lean in closer so other curious ears wouldn't hear. Thomas shook his head but seemed unsure and hesitated before finally giving Newt an un-committing shrug. "When I go to check on them later you're coming with me." Newt said sternly gripping Tommy's shoulder. Thomas only nodded and mentioned something about checking up on Chuck before taking off. Newt sighed and limped off. _Those girls must be bloody special. _

After the Gathering it seemed like they were right back where they started. Nowhere. Of course there had been plenty of arguing especially on Gally's part, not only did he not trust Thomas but he seemed to dislike the girls instantly. But there was nothing they could do while the two were passed out. The only thing they could do now was wait for them to wake up. Newt trudged off calling Tommy's name. During the meeting his mind kept circling back to Thomas's expression when he had asked about the girls. It wasn't much of a lead, but everything had gone to shuck ever since he had gotten here, and now two girls show up? Something strange was happening and Newt would bet his good leg that it had something to do with Thomas. "Tommy get your bloody ass over here!"

"What now slint head?" Thomas said coming from the direction of the graveyard. Newt wrinkled his nose.

"Sounds wrong coming outa your mouth." Tommy only rolled his eyes and shrugged his gaze fixed on Homestead. Newt followed his gaze the Med-Jacks had already situated both girls in one of the rooms and were watching over them carefully on Alby's orders.

"I want you to come with me and look at those girls. See if you remember… or recognize anything. I don't care if you have to look at them all bloody night, we're going to find some answers." Tommy nodded and followed Newt as he headed off the sounds of the maze doors closing echoed in the distance as they reached the room the girls were sleeping in. Clint and Jeff were hovering over them trying to get them to drink water. "Leave us for a second guys." Newt said pulling up some chairs for the two and positioning them at the foot of the two beds. After a few minutes of starring and watching the two girls sleep fitfully Thomas finally spoke up.

"I feel like I know them." Newt turned in his chair excitedly ready to hear any information the guy could offer.

"How?" But before Thomas could answer a loud cry sounded from one of the beds causing the two boys to jump and snap their heads towards the smaller curly haired girl. The girl seemed to have become even more restless and was visibly shaking her hands clawing at the bed sheets as she let out another hair raising scream. The boys rushed over and looked down at her their eyes wide.

"What's wrong with her?" Tommy asked as the girl let out a whimper. Tears were streaming down her face and sweat had caused a few of her brown ringlets to plaster themselves to her forehead.

"I think she's having a nightmare." Newt said as the girl let out an ear splitting scream and sat up. Newt rushed over to the girl's side. "Whoa there sunshine!" The girl was screaming and hyperventilating her eyes whipping around the room in a terrified frenzy as if looking for a way to escape. Newt stepped closer to the bed which was a mistake, the girl immediately panicked and slammed her fist into Newt's chest. "Grab her arm Tommy!" Newt yelped as the girl began to struggle getting ready to punch him again. Each boy grabbed an arm and attempted to hold down the squirming girl as she continued to kick and claw at their chests.

"It's okay!" Newt yelled over the girls screaming. "You're safe love! You and your friend are safe!" Newt unclasped one of his hands from her wrist and used it to grab her chin, forcing her eyes to focus on him. "You're safe love." He said, softer this time. The girl stopped struggling, breathing heavily she looked at Newt her eyes wide in terror. Newt let go of her arm and gently held her face in his hands. "You're okay. Got that love? Me and Tommy here, we aren't going to let anything get you." He whispered taking the opportunity to slowly wipe a tear off her cheek. Newt wasn't sure why he did it he didn't know this girl.

_Can't even trust her yet._

But Newt ignored the thought and continued to mumble comforting words to the girl. She slowly relaxed and fell back asleep slumping into her pillow.

* * *

Thomas watched closely, he had only been in the Glade for a short time, a few days to be exact but he had already learned a lot. The boys in the Glade were tough, they worked to survive and they all did their parts. No one got any special treatment and every Glader had seen the ugly truth of their lives in the Glade. Newt was one of them, there was something about the guy that just told you that he had seen his fair share of ugliness in life. But he was sure acting different now, Thomas had never seen Newt speak so softly. It took awhile for the girl to fall asleep again, whatever she was dreaming about it must have been horrible. Thomas pulled the blanket tighter around her tucking in the edges in a brotherly way. He knew them, he knew he did he could feel it. The girls' faces both struck a cord in his memory, he just couldn't remember anything else. Thomas turned his attention towards the other girl. She was sleeping peacefully unlike her friend. Her raven black hair spread out around her head like a halo framing her pale face and pretty features. _Who are you?_

_Teresa_

Thomas yelped and jumped to his feet looking around wildly. She spoke! Teresa, that's her name!

"What the hell? Tommy you okay there?" Newt asked looking up at him. But Thomas ignored him and ran out of the room. He was going crazy. Yeah that was it he was going crazy.


	3. Scars

Newt stayed with the girl for the rest of the night. And it was not an easy night. She woke up from nightmares at least five times that night. Each time she woke up Newt was the only one that could calm her down enough, and it had still resulted in a bruised jaw or two.

Newt checked his wristwatch, he wasn't a runner anymore but he had refused to give it back, he was going to get something out of being in that bloody maze. It was 6:15 in the morning, he groaned and slouched in his chair. Newt's eyes drooped with exhaustion and his hair had turned into a tousled birds nest from the restless night. _What could she possibly be dreaming about? Are they that bad?_ Newt eyed the girl tiredly she was curled up in a tight ball, her hair had become a tangled mass and red tearstains stripped her cheeks. Even then she still looked amazing. There was a knock at the door and Clint and Jeff re-entered carrying a bowl of soup in each hand.

"You should get some rest Newt." Jeff said walking over to the bedside table and then re-checking the girl's pulse.

"He's right man. She hasn't woken up screaming in like two hours. Go get some food and some sleep. We can take it from here." Clint said walking over to check on the dark haired girl. Newt stood up and looked at the girl reluctantly, she sure was bloody pretty. Newt almost didn't want to go… but he was tired.

"Yeah, okay. I'm going to go get something to eat and see if I can find Tommy or Alby. Come get me if anything happens." The two boys nodded before turning their attention back on the girls.

* * *

Sadie was running from something. Something big. She could hear the whirring and clicking of it behind her. She could practically feel the ground tremble as it dragged itself after her, groaning and screeching eerily. Sadie sprinted around a corner giant walls covered in ivy flew past her as she hurtled towards the edge of a cliff. At the last second she skidded to a stop before she could go flying over the edge and turned around slowly. There were more, the groaning had increased ten fold. And she was surrounded.

* * *

Sadie's eyes snapped open as her mind quickly switched back to reality. Her heart pounded and her head spun. _Where am I? _She thought groggily trying to clear away her blurry vision and get a good look at her surroundings. She was in a soft bed, the blankets tucked around her, the room was small and it looked like she wasn't the only one in it. If it was even possible, Sadie's heart started to race even faster.

"She's waking up!" A voice said by her ear snapping her right out of her confused daze. She tried to get up but a hand clamped down on her forearm holding her down against the bed. "Go get Newt!" The voice yelled, Sadie didn't even have time to think before her fist instinctively slammed into the boy's nose and sent him reeling backwards. Something inside of her clicked and she let her instincts take over, pushing herself out of the bed she ran towards the door.

"Wait! Stop!" Another voice yelled as two arms wrapped around her torso pinning her arms down. Sadie let out an angry gasp and kicked her foot backwards her heel connected with something soft. The boy let out a strangled groan and his arms loosened slightly, just enough for Sadie to wrench her own arms free and grab one of his wrist in both hands. She leaned down pulling their combined wait forward and sent the guy flipping over her shoulder. He slammed into the other boy and they collapsed on the floor in a tangled heap, both of them groaning in pain. Sadie spun in a circle wildly. _What's going on? Where the hell am I!_

Her eyes landed on the door again she sprinted towards it her heart hammering and yanked it open. To her surprise and dismay there was another boy waiting behind the door. It was the blonde guy from before. His eyes widened when he saw her but he didn't attempt to grab her like the other two. He didn't move out of her way either. Sadie's senses were still going haywire, her mind was swirling and spinning in every direction. Just a quick punch to the jaw and a jab in his stomach and he would be out. But something stopped her.

"You- you helped me before right?" She asked in a rush pointing her finger back in the room. "You helped me right? With the-"

"Nightmares." He finished nodding his hands raised. Sadie narrowed her eyes and focused on him. She remembered waking up screaming last night, she remembered how real and life-like her dreams had seemed. But one of the clearest things she could remember was a soothing accented voice and this guys rough and admittedly handsome face being there whenever she woke up.

"Then can you tell me where the hell I am?" Sadie asked icily.

"You're in the Glade love." He answered nonchalantly. Sadie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"What are you talking about? And why do you keep calling me-'' Sadie started to say but her vision was blurring again, she staggered and grabbed onto the doorway for support as the room began to spin again. _Damnit. _

"Careful sunshine, here let's get you back over to the bed." The boy rushed forward and wrapped one arm around her waist. He sat her down on the edge of the bed before walking over to the other side of the room to check on the two other boys. Sadie held her head in her hands trying to will the spinning to stop. She could faintly here the blonde guy talking to the two others both of them grumbling angrily as he ushered them out the door. In a matter of seconds he was back hovering over her like a pesky fly. Sadie wanted to tell him to leave her alone but all she could do was sit and wait for her headache to clear. "Rest here for a second. I'll be right back I've got something for you." The guy quickly left the room Sadie could hear his uneven footsteps creaking down an old stairway on his way out. After a minute or two her vision cleared and Sadie sighed in relief. Her headache was slowly fading away and she was finally able to really look around her. She was in a small room in what seemed to be the second story of a rickety house. Teresa was passed out in the bed next to her and Sadie was relieved to see that she seemed safe enough.

Sadie got shakily to her feet, and was able to slowly regain her footing. She walked over to a window in the room and peered out. They were in a wide grass covered clearing she could see smaller buildings and gardens off in the distance and what looked like huge walls lining the small valley on every side. _Maybe I should just make a run for it. _ It looked like she was only one story off the ground but there was no telling whether she'd make it or not. But still… _It can't be that far of a drop can it?_

"Oh great your up," Sadie jumped and spun around. The guy was back, "I brought you some clothes, figured you'd want them." He said walking in and setting a bundle of clothes down on the edge of the bed. Sadie watched him awkwardly quickly scanning him for any signs of a weapon. It didn't seem like he had any, in fact he still had the same mischievous and sarcastic air to him that she had sensed back in the metal box. The only thing that hinted at that darkness she had seen in his eyes was the limp in his walk. But it didn't seem like he was going to hurt her… and he had helped her last night… After a moment of hesitation Sadie walked over and lifted a dark maroon shirt off the pile. The boy watched her carefully before saying, "Sorry about that." Sadie shifted her gaze back to him and they locked eyes.

"Sorry about what?"

* * *

She shifted her gaze towards him and caught his eye. _Bloody hell. _When she looked up Newt was met with a pair of warm, chocolaty brown eyes. They had a mischievous and mesmerizing glint to them and seemed to read him like an open book. The girl looked even better after calming down. She had a pretty heart shaped face and high cheekbones that gave her a sort of elfish appearance. Plus she was one hell of a fighter judging from the groaning boys that had left the room in a rather big hurry.

"Hello?"

"Oh yeah. Well I guess I'm sorry about that for starters." Newt said awkwardly blushing when he realized he had been starring at her. He scratched the back of his neck and she chuckled slightly before shaking her head. "And sorry about the clothes, they're all guy clothes, you and your friend are the only girls there are around here. But I tried to find the smallest size."

"These are perfect actually. Thanks." She said with a small, tight smile. She seemed more settled now, still a little suspicious and confused about him and the Glade. She still glanced around the room suspiciously as if preparing for another fight or striking a plan to jump out the window but less panicked all the same. The two stood awkwardly for a second before she finally spoke again. "What's your name?"

"Newt." He answered thankful for the break in silence. He stuck his hand out to her and gave her a small grin.

"Sadie." She answered, she gave his hand a quick look, but opted out and ignored it. _Sadie haw? _Newt retracted his hand and chuckled. _Seems friendly enough. _He paused and looked around, Newt wasn't quite sure of what to do next. Alby would want to know that she woke up, might even want to question her.

"Alby's going to want to hold a Gathering and question you." Newt admitted carefully as Clint and Jeff came back from the medicine cabinet, ice pressed to their faces. Sadie's lips pursed but she nodded.

"Is there a place I can change?" She asked gathering up the rest of the clothes, Newt nodded and walked towards the door waving at her to follow. She glanced quickly over her shoulder at the other girl before following him out of the Homestead.

Newt led Sadie to a small bathhouse and quickly checked inside.

* * *

"No one's inside. I'll guard out here while you change." He informed her, Sadie smiled in thanks and walked into a stall, her smile instantly disappearing as soon as she was alone. _How pathetic can I be?_ Sadie thought shaking her head in embarrassment as memories from last night finally resurfaced. She had practically cried in the arms of a stranger! Sadie sighed in frustration before pulling on a pair of too big jeans. Her whole body still ached, but hey, she did judo flip a guy for gods sake. She smiled slightly at the memory, _Guess I'm not that pathetic. _Her smirk grew wider at the thought. She turned around with a small laugh and faced the smudged bathroom mirror and studied what she saw. Her face seemed familiar enough, but her head still felt empty of almost all other faces. She tugged at a curl in her hair, she looked fine. Not exactly what she had expected but at least it looked like she was in shape. Sadie shrugged and grabbed the hem of the dirty shirt she was wearing and tugged it off. But when she looked down she was slapped by confusion all over again. She let out a small gasp and rushed closer to the mirror.

Angry, red gashes and puncture wounds scarred her sides and abdomen. Sadie's eyes widened and she quickly turned around and stared at her reflection over her shoulder. Her back was covered in scars too. Jagged red lines littered her back and puckered scars spotted her skin. The scars were ugly and terrifying all of them ranging in length from small faded ones to long red stripes that crossed from her shoulder blades down to the small of her back.

"You okay?" Newt called from outside. Sadie took in a deep breath and used the sink counter to steady herself. Where did she get all these scars? _These have to mean something, they have to be from my past. _Sadie ran her finger over a particularly nasty looking scratch and gulped. _What did this to me?_

"I'm okay. Just give me a second." Sadie finally answered quickly tugging her shirt on before heading outside. Newt was leaning against the side of the building and smiled when he saw her.

"Alby's called a Gathering Greenie, you're going to have to tell us everything. But it should be fine." He said gesturing for her to follow him as he walked away from the bathrooms. He was walking with the same limp from before and before she could stop herself she asked him about it.

"What happened to your leg?" Sadie blurted out, cringing at her bluntness.

"The bugging maze is what happened." Newt said pointing towards a gaping doorway in the walls around them.

"Maze?"

"Yep, trust me love you do not want a job in there." Newt said shaking his head solemnly.

"Why? What's in the maze?" Sadie asked looking out at the eerie doorway. "I mean there's something out there right?" She wasn't quiet sure how she knew but she felt certain about it. She quickly took notice that there was more than one doorway, each of them stood over 100ft tall casting ghostly shadows on the grassy ground.

"Why are you asking?" Newt answered turning hostile all of a sudden. Sadie shrugged but couldn't shake the small suspicions that were growing in her.

"It's just- is there anything out there that could… leave scars?'' She asked quietly, she didn't know why she asked. She had been a second away from punching the guy no more than ten minutes ago. But all that uneasiness had quickly drained away, she felt comfortable around Newt. She had just met him, and didn't know anything about him but she might as well try and get some answers.

"What do you mean?" He asked pausing to turn and look at her.

"I have these scars, these gashes and these marks like I was pricked with something, or- or"

"Stung?"


	4. Get to Work

"I already told you, a voice told us to deliver you the messages." Sadie growled impatiently, her eyes darting around the semi-circle of boys. She was sitting in a creaky wooden chair her hands clasping the sides as they muttered to themselves, casting weary and interested glances back at her. Sadie shifted uncomfortably under everyone's gaze, _why are they doing this? Can't they see that I don't remember anything?_

"Why don't we start from the beginning?" Their leader, Alby said in a commanding voice. "How did you get here?"

"In the freaking elevator ride of death that's how." Sadie huffed blowing a stray curl out of her face in annoyance. Alby didn't even attempt to mask the suspicion in his voice when he had asked her.

"You mean the box?" One of the boys in the circle corrected her. Sadie let out a snort of amusement.

"The box? Seems fitting." Alby sent her and the boy an annoyed glare.

"Shut it Zart." He said before continuing, crossing his arms as he sat in the middle of the group.

"When did this _voice _speak to you exactly?" He asked his eyes practically searing into Sadie's forehead. Her grip tightened on the arms of the chair.

"I'm not crazy if that's what you're wondering." She hissed sending an equally intense glare back at him. "It came on a little bit after I woke up. An alarm went off and then a voice started talking about experiments and messages."

"Experiments?" Another boy asked, leaning forward in interest. "What kind of experiment?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"Cut that klunk out!" Alby barked at her. "We're the ones asking the questions here not you! So shucking answer them!" He stared icily at her, daring her to say something else. Sadie could feel her face burning red. She bit her tongue in an attempt to keep a few choice words from flying out of her mouth and turned back on the boy.

"I. Don't. Know." Sadie answered evenly. "It didn't exactly go into details. It just told us to deliver you the message and told me to protect… my friend." Sadie coughed into her hand hoping it masked her hesitation. She didn't want them to know Teresa's name just yet, just in case. Alby and the others watched her closely, he gestured for Newt to step forward and muttered something in his ear. Sadie watched as Newt nodded and left the room not even giving her a second glance. _So much for him. _Sadie thought icily her eyes trailing after Newt on his way out.

"And you don't remember anything." It didn't come out as a question but more as a fact. She nodded and shifted her focus back onto Alby. He stared back his dark eyes picking away at her. Sadie jutted her chin out stubbornly, and refused to look away from his intense gaze. The two were snapped out of their starring contest when Newt lumbered back into the small meeting room another boy in tow. This one seemed different from the others. He had dark, close cut hair that was starting to grow shaggy and wide curious eyes. But there was something else. There was a certain air to him that none of the other boys shared. And when he walked in further something clicked in Sadie's brain.

"_Thomas!_" Sadie shouted unable to stop the words from spilling out as everyone's heads snapped in the direction of the guy. He stumbled back and looked at her with wide and confused eyes. _I know you. I know you! _She wanted to scream. Her head was pounding yet again her fingernails digging into the rough wood of the chair. She refused to pass out this time. She wasn't going to cry or scream as the pain ripped through her head. She stared at him, Thomas. Her head scrambled trying to piece together a memory. _Teresa and Thomas. _The pain was blinding, it took all of Sadie's energy not to cry out as her head began to spin yet again.

_Something's wrong with me! _

_Don't cry. Don't you dare cry or yell or do anything! _But she couldn't help but look at Thomas and think hopefully. _Please Thomas, tell them I didn't do anything wrong. Help me. _

Sadie's brain throbbed one last time then stopped all at once. She blinked in surprise and let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Every set of eyes in the room darted from her to Thomas and back again.

"You know each other?"

* * *

Newt was sure she was going to faint. Her eyes had gone wild when she saw Thomas and her face turned a sickly gray color. No one else seemed to notice but Newt did. He could almost see the tension building in her, and he was almost positive now that if he didn't step forward and try to help she would pass out. Or worse. But as suddenly as it came it went and Sadie sighed in relief the pain in her eyes dimming and her body relaxing as she slinked further into her chair.

"You know each other?" Winston asked as everyone looked back in forth between the two. Sadie nodded shakily her eyes still on Tommy. Another round of questioning happened this time including Thomas. But neither seemed to know how they knew each other, just that they did.

"I can't explain it. I just know I know her." Thomas said in frustration as Alby pelted him with questions. None of it made sense. Why would the Creators send up two girls? And why did they let them remember each other when everyone else could only remember their name? The rest of the Keepers started to mutter to each other restlessly. It took a few shouts and threats from Alby before they settled down again.

"How do we know she wasn't sent by the Creators?" One called out causing Newt glare in the speaker's direction.

"We were all sent here by the bloody Creators!" He snapped.

"But he's got a point. How do we know she isn't some crazy chick they sent up here to take us all out? She might even be worse than the Grievers." Gally pointed out, everyone turned and gave Sadie a calculating and for some slightly impressed looks. She stared back at them in disbelief her face scrunched up in annoyance.

"Excuse me?" She growled.

"She isn't some crazy psycho chick, okay? She's my friend… I think." Thomas interjected. More arguing broke out amongst the Keepers. All of them trying to get their opinions about the girl heard.

Newt rolled his eyes and tried to block out the useless arguing choosing instead to focus his attention back on Sadie. He scanned her up and down. The clothes he had given her were big on her but suited her all the same. Her arms and face were a creamy olive color and her nose and cheeks were dotted with small freckles. But as far as he could tell there was nothing strange about her. What had she meant by scars? He didn't see any scars on her. Only one thing came to mind when she had asked him about the maze. _Grievers. _Newt shuttered at the mere thought of them. He could practically hear their deep groaning. See their pinchers and needles, feel their hot disgusting breath on his neck…

"Newt?"

Newt snapped out of his daze and shook his head.

"Huh?" He asked as the Keepers gathered together a few of them waving him over.

"We need to take a vote and make a decision." Alby said nodding at him from the head of the circle. Newt quickly followed them over casting a glance over his shoulder at Sadie. How could she have scars? She just got here.

_How is any of this bloody possible? _He thought. Then again nothing seemed possible nowadays. First Tommy shows up in the shuck box and won't stop pestering Newt about the maze and now this girl too? Newt shook his head in confusion and listened as the Keepers discussed what to do next.

"Okay after hearin' everybody's vote, I think we've come to a decision. It doesn't seem like you're here to try and kill us," Alby said scratching his chin in thought as he peered at Sadie. She rolled her eyes. "Even if you did give our med-jacks one hell of a beating." He added, Sadie only shrugged and gave a half-hearted and sarcastic,

"Woops."

"But we could always use the extra hands. You start work today, just like the rest of us did." Some of the Keepers started to object but one look from Alby shut the klunks right up. "She's going to start just like the rest of us did! You hear me?" Alby turned back towards Sadie and jabbed his thumb in Tommy's direction. "You start with him today after lunch, got that?"

"Fine." Sadie answered, sitting forward in interest as the meeting began to come to a close.

"Good. Now we still need to give you the tour. Which one of you klunks wants to show her around?" Almost immediately every boy in the room except Alby and Newt jumped out of their chairs all raising their hands like kids in a classroom.

"I'll do it!"

"No I want to!"

"Shut it shuck face. Let me do it I'll show her a thing or two!" Sadie slunk even lower in her chair her arms crossed tightly around her. Newt stepped forward and grabbed Alby's shoulder.

"Maybe it would be better if I showed the bird around." He whispered, shooting the Gladers in the room a seething glare. Alby nodded in agreement and yelled for everyone to quiet down.

"Get back to work you shucks! Newt here's gonna give her the tour, now get your behinds in gear and go back to your duties." The room quickly emptied as the grumbling Keepers filed out and went back to their respected workings, leaving only Newt, Thomas, and Sadie behind.

Newt clapped a hand down on Tommy's shoulder. "We'll meet you during lunch and I'll take you and Sadie over to the Bloodhouse afterwards. It's just too bad you have to bloody eat before it." Newt said, Thomas nodded and left quickly.

"And then there were two." Sadie said springing up from her chair and stalking past Newt into the Glade. Newt limped after her signaling the beginning of the tour as he began to point out the different parts of the glade.

"There's the Gardens, Homestead, the Map Room, Bloodhouse…" Newt announced gesturing to each landmark in turn. "You'll start work today with Tommy, everyone bloody does so there's no point in complaining."

"I didn't complain." Sadie retorted snappily Newt laughed and shook his head.

"Just because you ain't complaining now love doesn't mean you won't later." He answered as the pair neared the Deadheads. Sadie narrowed her eyes at Newt and blurted out some more questions.

"What's over there? What sort of jobs? How exactly is there electricity? Who're the creators? Why do you keep calling me that? And what the hell does shuck mean?" Newt groaned inwardly.

"What is it with Greenies and questions?" Sadie only ignored him and seeming to be on a roll spouting out twenty more before they could even reach the East entrance.

"So this is the Maze?" She asked, Newt nodded, ignoring her other questions in the process.

"This is the East entrance there's more all around the Glade. The doors close every night and open again every morning." Before he could even tell her to stay away from the Maze she started walking towards the entrance. "Wait! Stop. You aren't allowed in there!" Newt yelped as she marched towards the entrance to the Maze. He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her away, putting himself between her and the doors.

"Why not?" She asked standing on the tips of her toes in an attempt to peer over his shoulder. "I mean it's a maze for gods sake." Newt shook his head and stood his ground in front of her.

"Only Runners are aloud in the Maze. No one else. Especially not you." Newt ordered clamping his hands on her small shoulders to try and stop her from weaving around him. _God, _she's_ so bloody stubborn and curious. _Newt thought grumpily as she gave him a dirty look.

"And why can't I?" She asked a small hint of a challenge in her voice. Newt stepped forward until they were nearly nose-to-nose. Her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp.

"Because it's one of our rules. And everyone follows the rules here love." Newt could feel her warm breath on his neck as he stared down at her. "Everyone here does their part, nobody hurts any other Glader, and no one leaves the Glade." Sadie blinked up at him, they were close, almost too close. Newt could practically count every freckle on her nose; he could see the golden brown lining of her eyes. In the end it was Newt who backed up first. She looked at him in confusion before a small, sly smile slid across her face.

"Technically, I already sort of broke one of those rules when I beat the shuck out of those two guys." Newt couldn't help but chuckle and started to walk in the direction of the lunch hall. "Did I say that right? Shuck?" She asked giving him a sideways glance. Newt laughed reaching over and messing up her hair.

"You'll get the hang of it Greenie."

* * *

Sadie couldn't believe how comfortable she felt in the Glade. She'd been there for less than twenty-four hours and even the Maze didn't seem so menacing. She thought back to what Newt had said as the two headed off to get some food. _Only Runners are aloud in the Maze? _

_Runner._

The word seemed slightly familiar and Sadie said it aloud softly and hoped that Newt hadn't heard her. It sounded as familiar as her own name. And now that she had seen the entrance to the Maze up close a small flame of curiosity had ignited inside of her. She had to see more of it. _Well, I guess I'll just have to become a Runner then. _Sadie thought determinedly a small smile tugging at her lips.

Newt limped beside her as they arrived and waited in line to get their food. Sadie couldn't help but peer at him out of the corner of her eye now and then. _He's pretty handsome_. She thought her eyes scanning him up and down. Taking in his blonde messy hair and built form, she blushed unwillingly and tore her eyes away nervously. _Stop that! _She chided to herself.

When they reached the front of the line all eyes turned and watched as Sadie grabbed her lunch from a guy named Frypan, a kid who couldn't have been older than sixteen and was already sporting a small beard. Sadie edged closer towards Newt trying her best to ignore all of the eyes on her as he lead her to a table in the corner occupied by Thomas and a younger slightly chubby boy.

"Hey there Tommy." Newt said as the pair plopped down. Sadie nodded towards Thomas and looked at the boy. He smiled at her and stuck out his hand from across the table.

"The name's Chuck!" He said cheerfully as Sadie shook his hand. _He's so young. _Sadie thought and she felt a small pang of sadness. _He's too young for this. _She turned away quickly and looked down at her food curiously. It was nothing special, just a slab of cooked meet some potatoes and what looked like a crudely made salad. Sadie hadn't realized how hungry she'd been, she felt like she hadn't eaten in weeks. She stabbed at a piece of meat and popped it in her mouth chewing it experimentally. Her eyes widened.

"This is delicious!" She cried happily as she shoveled the rest of her food into her mouth. The boys watched her with slacked jaws and wide eyes but she couldn't honestly find it in her to care. _Whatever, I'm shucking starving. _She almost laughed at how easily the Glader's slang had taken root in her mind but opted out and continued to devour her food.

"Jeez lady! Are you hungry or what?" Chuck exclaimed as she pigged out. Sadie finally stopped for a breath and smiled at him.

"I'm just relieved that there's someone here who knows how to cook. Cuz I sure as hell wasn't going to start anytime soon." The boys laughed and she sighed contently before adding. "And don't call me lady. I'm only like…" She paused furrowing her brow. _How old am I?_

"Sixteen?" Newt ventured shrugging, "None of us are really sure how old we are either." Sadie nodded but it still nagged at her. _I don't even know how old I am._

* * *

Newt couldn't believe how comfortable she seemed with it all. Sure she had asked him, Chuck, and Tommy about a million questions but the answers didn't seem to surprise her in the slightest. Not only that but she joked around easily with everyone like she'd known all of them for years. Newt shook his head in disbelief and grudging respect. She might not be crazy, but she sure was strange. _And beautiful. _A small voice said in his head, Newt shook his head even faster trying to push the thought away. But he couldn't help but smile every time she joked during lunch or laughed loudly.

Afterwards Newt lead Tommy and Sadie over to the Bloodhouse and introduced them to Winston.

"This is where we raise and slaughter the livestock." Winston announced whirling a blade around the small red barn. "If you do alright on the job you might work here permanently. If you're into that kind of thing." He said with a wink in Sadie's direction. Newt was pleased to see her roll her eyes at the comment.

"I'll leave you guys to it." Newt said clapping his hands together and waving at the two as he limped away. He chuckled when he faintly heard Thomas and Sadie groan in dismay as Winston directed them towards the butcher's table.

* * *

"That was disgusting." Sadie declared as her and Thomas headed back towards Homestead and away from the Bloodhouse, _thank god. _

"You can say that again." Thomas answered scrubbing at his hands to try and clean off the blood that was long gone. As the two walked Sadie tried to remember again, thankfully her head didn't try and split in two this time but she was still disappointed when she came up empty handed. Sadie looked over at Thomas and wondered… _well it's worth a shot. _

"Guess this means you and I are best buds now or something?" She asked watching for his reaction. He laughed but didn't respond so Sadie pushed on. "You don't remember anything? Anything at all?" She asked hopefully but he just shook his head dismally.

"No. Sorry Sadie all I know is that we're friends." He mumbled as they climbed up the hill nearing Homestead.

"It's all right." She said quickly. "But let's never do that again. I am never shucking butchering another animal for as long as I live." Sadie muttered while Thomas laughed.

"I couldn't agree more."


	5. Grievers and Stories

Newt limped away from Homestead his insides twisting. They had found nothing, absolutely nothing. Day after day after day they hadn't even come bloody close to figuring out the Maze. He came to a stop by a tree on the outskirts of the Glade. Newt sighed tiredly as he felt another headache coming on. What were they missing? Why would the Creators even put a bugging Maze out here? But more importantly who would send a bunch of teenagers into the Glade in the first place? Newt took a deep breath breathing in the woodsy smells of the glade and the smell of dinner wafting through the air.

"Newt!" A voice called snapping Newt out of his moment of peace like a bucket of ice water. He whirled around grumpily but held back his biting remark when he saw it was only Sadie _If it was any other bloody person… _he thought grudgingly as Sadie plopped down on the ground beside him Thomas at her heels.

"So how was your first day of working love?" Newt asked leaning against the rough bark of the tree as he looked down at the two Greenies.

"Oh it was fine thanks for asking." Thomas responded

"I wasn't- I didn't mean you!" Newt snapped as Tommy and Sadie snickered like twelve year olds. When they finally calmed down from the _hilarious _comment Sadie answered.

"I just have one thing to say about that shucking job and it's; never again." Sadie declared as she slouched into the grass.

"It's not that bad." Newt said smiling as the two wrinkled their noses and looked up at him in disbelief. Sadie shook her head and sighed resting her head on the ground.

"It's not the job for us that's for sure. Besides we already have one in mind." She crowed happily peering up at Newt, waiting for him to ask further.

"Good for you love." Sadie made a face. "Fine! What job did you two have in mind?" Newt asked giving in with an over dramatic eye roll.

"We want to be Runners." She responded casually picking at her fingernails.

"What?" Newt choked his eyes bugging. "You can't be serious?"

"Why not? We want to see what's out there." Tommy said gesturing towards the Maze. Newt looked from Thomas to Sadie then back again.

"Because Greenies don't become Runners right away! You don't want to be a Runner!" Sadie sat up and fixed a stubborn glare on him.

"Yes we do Newt." She scoffed crossing her arms. _Why am I always stuck with the stubborn ones? They have no idea. No bloody clue what they're getting themselves into. _

"It's dangerous out there Sadie." Newt replied fixing her with what he hoped was an equally as stubborn look.

"We kind of figured that one out ourselves Newt." Thomas pointed out. Newt let out a frustrated growl and started pacing in front of them.

"You have no idea what you're asking for. The Maze is a death trap!" But looking back down at them Newt could tell they weren't going to budge. _Fine. _He thought _I'll show them what they're bloody up against. _"Fine you want to see what's inside the Maze? Then I'll show you meet me by the East entrance after dinner." And with that he stalked off. He couldn't, no he _wouldn't _let Sadie step foot inside that bugging Maze. Never.

* * *

After a dinner that mainly included Sadie wolfing down her food and Chuck talking Thomas's ear off they finally headed towards the East doorway.

"Is Teresa getting any better?" Thomas asked as they worked their way through the crowd of guys headed towards the mess hall. Sadie's eyes narrowed.

"I don't remember mentioning her name." Sadie stated suspiciously looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh I- um you didn't?" He stuttered picking up his pace.

"No Thomas I didn't."

"She told me." He blurted out speeding his walk up even more.

"She's been in a coma!" Sadie exclaimed jogging to keep up with him. Finally Thomas came to a stop and locked eyes with her. "Thomas I already know that you remember her, just shucking tell me how you know her name." Sadie demanded. He let out a sigh before continuing.

"She- she spoke in my head." He admitted watching her for any signs of disbelief. Sadie raised her eyebrows, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't not believe him.

"So what, are you guys telepathic or something?" She countered he nodded watching her closely. "Well, that's sort of creepy." She joked before picking up their walk towards the doors.

"You mean you believe me?" he asked following her.

"Well I don't see why not." Sadie quipped at him over her shoulder. Thomas stopped and reached out a hand grabbing her by the arm.

"Don't tell anyone Sadie. Please, I can't explain it or how we do it, but her and I are connected." He said, Sadie shrugged off his hand but nodded. She could tell they were connected. He had gone with her to check on Teresa earlier and she could tell there was something connecting them in more ways then one. Just by the way he looked at her it was easy to tell.

"I won't." She promised. "Now come on! I can already see Newt waiting for us." She urged grabbing onto Thomas's sleeve and yanking him after her.

They got to the entrance just as the doors began closing and Sadie couldn't help but gawk at them in awe.

"How is that possible?" She shouted over the screeching grind of the doors, her hands clamped tightly over her ears. Newt shrugged in response and waved them over to a small section of the wall hidden behind a grove of trees. The doors shut with an echoing boom as Newt motioned for them to stop.

"Wait here." He instructed as he strode towards what looked like a small window in the side of the Maze. He peered through and after a minute or two waved them over. It was a window about roughly the size of a shoebox. "Take one look in there and you'll never want to be a bugging Runner again." Sadie walked over curiously and peered through the glass over Thomas's shoulder. And what she saw sent a chill up her spine and made the hair on her neck stand on end.

"What is that?" Thomas whispered.

"A Griever." The thing was big. A giant mass of slime covered skin rolling in front of them lazily. Sharp stingers and blades stuck out from it's sides clicking and scraping against the Maze walls. Sadie watched in horror as it turned and seemed to focus on them. And with surprising speed it slammed into the small window sending Thomas and Sadie stumbling backwards. She knew now, she knew exactly what had been chasing her in her dreams.

"I told you. You don't want to be a Runner, it's not worth it." Newt pushed as the two panted in front of them. Sadie looked up and caught Thomas's eye, and she knew they were on the same page.

"Yes we do." They said in unison.

"What?" Newt yelped running his hands through his hair in frustration. "Well I'm not bloody signing you two up for it. If you want to become one then you'll have to talk to the Keeper of the Runners because I'm not going to be a bloody part in this!" He yelled stomping off and leaving the two of them behind. Sadie sighed as she watched him go. _He doesn't understand… I have to be a Runner I can feel it. I have to. _

As the sky grew darker Sadie headed back towards her room in Homestead. Grumbling about Newt the whole way. _Who does he think he is? Telling me what to do? _A sudden image flashed in her mind of his hazel eyes and she paused, _why does he call me love? _He obviously had an accent but Sadie couldn't help but wonder… Was it just some slang like shuck or bugger? Or was it… something else. A sudden feeling of giddiness started to rise inside of her causing her heartbeat to quicken. _No! None of that! Nope, nada, I don't think so! _She thought angrily, but it did nothing to stop the freaking butterflies that were ruthlessly tumbling inside of Sadie's stomach. She marched up the rickety stairs and plowed into their room sitting down rather angrily on a chair in front of Teresa's bed.

"You are in a Maze Sadie." She warned herself. "He doesn't have time for anything like that. And besides it's not like I'd-" But the words died in her mouth. She reached over to Teresa's bedside table and tried to distract herself with feeding her. When Sadie finally felt her eyes begin to droop she stood up tucking the blankets around Teresa carefully and checking her pulse for the hundredth time. _Still there. It's still there. _She hobbled over to her own bed and climbed under the covers. And when she fell asleep, she started to wish she hadn't.

* * *

She was running from them again but she could see them now. And she knew exactly what they were. Grievers. She pushed her legs to carry her faster as her muscles and lungs cried in protest. _I have to save her, I have to distract them. Can't let them find her. I. Can't. Let. Them. Find. Her!_

* * *

Sadie jolted awake before the dream could go any further, kicking the blankets off of her as she jumped out of bed. She stumbled to the window and yanked it open, letting in the cool night air as she shakily tried to calm her breathing. _It was just a dream. _She reminded herself, but she couldn't stop seeing the ugly membrane of the Grievers, and she couldn't calm the panic that was slowly rising in her chest. For some reason Sadie realized, she wasn't scared. No she was worried, she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to save someone. It felt so real. She rushed over to Teresa's bedside and sighed in relief when she saw that her friend was still there.

She wandered back over to the window and looked out into the wide expanse of the Glade. Newt had told her most of the boys slept outside. _I wonder… _Sadie pulled on a sweater Newt had dropped off for her earlier. It was warm and gave off a woodsy and musky scent. She clambered down the stairs tugging her shoes on as she briskly walked outside and into the Glade. It only took her a few minutes before she found him curled up against a tree sleeping. He had his head resting against his curled arm, his face that was usually home to a sly grin or a frown was peacefully blank. Sadie ignored the urge to trace the hallows in his cheek and reached out a hand, but she paused. He looked so calm while he slept, it felt wrong to try and wake him. She stood over him awkwardly watching his chest rise and fall and his breath come out in little puffs. She sighed and turned away, what had she been thinking? As she started to walk away a sleepy voice called out to her.

"Nightmares again love?" She froze and whipped around; Newt was slowly pulling himself into a sitting position rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. She suddenly felt embarrassed, like a five year old going to wake up their parents in the middle of the night.

"No I just… couldn't sleep." She lied looking at the ground awkwardly. "You can go back to sleep, sorry I woke you." Sadie mumbled edging backwards.

"It's fine Sadie, no use trying to go back to sleep now anyways." He yawned patting the ground beside him. After a short pause she gave in and sat beside him hugging her knees to her chest.

"You sure you're alright?" He inquired giving her a sideways glance.

"Yes." She responded too quickly. He shrugged and they sat in silence for a bit starring at the stars that dotted the sky above the Glade. It startled her to find that the stars twinkled brightly over the Glade. The place didn't seem menacing but Sadie had come to the conclusion that it was a prison. It almost didn't seem right for something so nice to be in the Glade. Newt's face flashed in her mind and she remembered that he was still sitting next to her. _Or for someone so nice to be in the Glade._

"What's your favorite color?" Newt asked bluntly cutting into the silence. Sadie blinked pulling herself out of her own thoughts and raised her eyebrows at him.

"What?" Sadie asked. He shrugged and gave her a small smile.

"Just asking a question."

"Oh. Green… I think.'' Sadie responded. He nodded in agreement and turned to her expectantly. "What?" She repeated furrowing her brows in confusion.

"Well go on. Ask me a question Greenie." She rolled her eyes at the comment, but a few questions did come to mind.

"How long have you been in the Glade?" She asked tugging at the grass beneath her. He sighed and scooted closer.

"For a little less than two years." He responded pulling a few blades of grass up and sprinkling them on Sadie's knee. "Hey!" She growled jokingly tossing the grass into his blonde hair. He laughed and shook his hair out.

"Why do you want to be a Runner so bad?" he questioned stretching his legs out in front of him. Why did she? She looked up at the dark blue sky again and mulled it over.

"I don't really know… I just feel like I should. Like I need to." She confessed remembering her dream. Her eyes wandered over to Newt and she pursed her lips.

"Why _don't_ you want me to be a Runner?" She challenged. A lapse of silence opened between them until he finally answered.

"What were you dreaming about your first night here?" He asked, completely ignoring her other question.

"You didn't answer my question!" Sadie exclaimed nudging Newt with her elbow. He shoved her back playfully.

"You didn't necessarily go into details when you answered mine." He chided. Sadie huffed grumpily giving him an expectant look. He avoided her eyes warily and seemed very interested in his shoes all of a sudden. "Let's talk about something else." He insisted finally turning to look at her.

"Fine." Sadie grumbled laying her head down on her knees. She watched him for a second marveling at the way his hair seemed to turn a silvery gold in the moonlight. "Tell me a story." She added scooting in even closer towards him.

"A bloody story?" He asked raising his eyebrows, Sadie nodded. He turned his head up in consideration and smiled. "Okay, have any of the boys told you about the time Alby got stuck in a tree?" He asked a wide smile already working it's way onto his face.

"What? No they haven't how the heck did he manage to do that?" Sadie laughed.

"Okay so this was back when we didn't really know what was going on. I mean we still don't have a bugging clue… but anyways. We tried to follow one of the beetle blades to see if it led anywhere. After a while we gave up but Alby, that bloody idiot, wouldn't give it a rest. The thing ended up crawling up some tree in the middle of the Glade and the slint head was mad enough to climb after it." Newt described already starting to chuckle from the memory. "But beetle blades don't like being followed so when Alby finally caught the bugger it sliced him and cut a giant hole into his bloody pants! We could here his yelling from a mile away. And then he-" Newt was laughing outright now his shoulders rising as he tried to calm down.

"Keep talking!" Sadie urged punching him in the shoulder lightly.

"Okay, okay. Well when we got there Alby lost his balance up in the tree and fell. But his bloody pants snagged on a branch and he got stuck, hanging upside down by only his pants. It took us almost an hour to stop laughing before we could finally get him down. I'd never laughed so hard in my entire life." Newt laughed Sadie joining in. The pair continued to laugh their voices echoing as they clutched at their sides.

"I can't believe that actually happened." Sadie gasped trying to stop her laughing in vain, as she pictured the uptight, incredibly strict Alby hanging by his pants from a tree.

"Don't tell him I told you or he'll beat the klunk out of me." Newt warned jokingly even though it was probably true. After a few attempts of trying to stop laughing Sadie and Newt finally calmed down enough wiping the tears from their eyes.

"I would have paid good money to see that." She chuckled laying down on her back to get a better view of the sky. When she laid back on the soft grass Sadie couldn't stop the large yawn from escaping as her body tried to pull her back to sleep.

"You should get some rest you'll be working in the Gardens tomorrow." Newt advised, but Sadie didn't want to sleep no matter how much her eyes were begging to be closed. "Come on Sadie, I'm right here it'll be fine." She glared up at him.

"I already told you it wasn't nightmares." She lied, again. He shrugged, not quite believing her.

"I know I know just pointing it out." She rolled her eyes but couldn't stop them from drooping. She rolled onto her side curling into a small ball, her eyes wandering up to Newt's sitting form outlined against the night sky. He smiled down at her catching her eye. "Sleep Sadie. And dream of something nice." Her body didn't need to be told twice as she quickly drifted off.

* * *

Sadie was perched on an overturned log sitting around a blazing bonfire surrounded by a noisy group of girls.

"Can you believe it Sadie?" A girl with red hair said joining her as she nibbled on something in her hands. "Those sticks actually gave us freaking marshmallows! We were just messing around when we asked but heck they sure as hell delivered!" The girl cried happily devouring the rest. Sadie smiled and laughed chewing on her own marshmallow as the girls around her began to joke around singing songs or telling stories causing quite the riot in the wide meadow.

"Those sticks might be some evil little shits but I haven't had one of these in I don't even know how long!" A dark skinned girl announced sitting down on Sadie's other side. The fire crackled warmly and the sticky marshmallows were so sweet that Sadie couldn't deny, she hadn't been this happy in a long, long time.


	6. The Keeper of the Runners

The next day Sadie woke up in her bed to Chuck trying to yank her blankets away while she begged him for five more minutes. When he finally managed to get her up and going Sadie could tell something had happened the night before. The mood in the Glade seemed to be a somber and grumpy one. It took a bit of pestering and questioning but she was finally able to weasel it out of Chuck as he walked her to her second day of work.

"Thomas was… attacked by a Glader last night." Chuck mumbled his cheeriness fading slightly. Even though Chuck was lovable and slightly hilarious in Sadie's eyes she could tell he didn't have a lot of friends, Thomas was important to him.

"But he's okay now right?"

"Yeah, the Green bean's fine." He answered his lips cracking into the slightest smile. Sadie chuckled softly as they padded through the Glade's thick grass towards the Gardens.

"Who attacked him?" Sadie questioned wondering if Alby or Newt had finally been driven insane by Thomas's constant questioning.

"Some guy named Ben, I didn't really know him all that well… But apparently he tried to gut Thomas and Alby banished him." Chuck finished with a small shrug.

"What do you mean he banished him? Banished him where?"

"In the Maze. Tonight"

"Oh." Sadie didn't need any more of an explanation. She shuddered inwardly at the Glade's harsh sense of justice. Had Newt been there when they made this decision? She wondered, slightly angry at the thought of anyone being left out in the Maze. _Now that's not fair. He tried to kill one of your best friends. _Sadie reasoned to herself. _And besides it is one of the main rules here. Never hurt another Glader. Even though I have in fact punched, kicked, and even flipped a few myself. _Sadie smiled dryly at the memory. She of course hadn't been banished obviously, whether it was because they understood why she had or because it was a _girl perk. _Ah yes, getting seconds and being offered first place in the mess hall lines where perks. Extremely annoying ones.

"Is he alright? Thomas I mean." Sadie asked when they finally reached the large acre of crops known as the Gardens.

"The klunk's been acting grumpy all morning." Chuck griped jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. "See for yourself." And sure enough Thomas was grumpy and indifferent, as he silently worked beside Sadie and Zart in the Gardens. He'd barely spoken to her at all aside from asking how Teresa was.

"Still in a coma." Sadie answered as Thomas nodded and fell back into his brooding silence. Finally Sadie couldn't shucking take it anymore. As soon as Zart seemed sufficed with their work he wandered off to perform his own Keeper duties. Leaving Sadie to her own devices. She smiled devilishly as she grabbed a large clod of dirt and mud and chucked it right at Thomas's back. Thomas let out a loud yelp and whipped around fixing an outraged glare on Sadie as she tried to hold in her laughter. Without breaking eye contact Thomas slowly grabbed his own handful of mud and slung it directly into her face. Two throws led to more and pretty soon the two of them were in an all out mud war. The both of them were laughing like lunatics when Zart finally returned. He was… well mad to say the least. And forced them to pull weeds and load wheelbarrows in six other crops. When he finally let them leave Sadie was so exhausted she felt like her arms and legs were going to fall off.

"That." Sadie panted her back slumped against Thomas's. "Shucking sucked." She whined trying to move as little as possible while her muscles screamed in protest. Thomas mumbled in agreement trying in vain to rub the dirt off of his hands. The shade of the tree they sat under did little to improve Sadie's tiredness, and to make it even better her stomach was rumbling loudly. Echoing the sounds of dying whales and angry moose.

"Hungry much?" Thomas teased nudging her with his elbow.

"Shut up… and I'm starving." Thomas laughed and climbed to his feet yanking Sadie up with him. "No! Moving is evil!" Sadie hissed looking down longingly at the soft grass.

"Come on let's get some food and then we can go check on Teresa again." Thomas said. Sadie snickered perking up a bit.

"Yep I mean god you haven't seen her in like what? Half a day? Holy shuck, half a day without seeing your girlfriend! Must be torture!" Sadie exclaimed full out snorting when she saw Thomas blush.

"Shut up Sadie." He growled.

"Oh come on Thomas I was only-"

"No seriously shut up." Thomas said his eyes focused on something in the distance. Something coming out of the Maze. She followed his gaze and saw a boy sprinting out of the East entrance; he stumbled into the Glade a bit before collapsing. The two watched, there mouths hanging open. It was finally the guy that sent them into action.

"Don't just stand there, go get Alby or Newt!" He yelled breathing heavily as he lay in a heap on the ground. They snapped out of their daze and ran to the older boy and kneeled beside him.

"Um hey man are you okay?" Thomas asked. The poor guy looked exhausted, and was breathing like he'd just run a marathon. The guy was tall, muscled, and seemed to be Asian.

"I'm fine." He looked up at Thomas and Sadie with a confused stare. "Who the klunk are you?"

"Oh I'm Thomas. I've only been here a little less then a week." Thomas replied, the guy's eyes passed from him and focused on Sadie widening slightly.

"Hey you're one of those chicks that showed up in the shuck box right?" He asked looking her up and down. Sadie rolled her eyes.

"No of course not. Names David, been here for months." She snapped her voice dripping with sarcasm. The guy just snorted and pulled himself to his feet.

"Well aren't you charismatic." Before Sadie could come up with another smart-ass response Alby jogged up to them his face grim.

"What you doin' back Minho? What the shuck went wrong now?"

"Slim it would yah?" the Runner replied bending over on his knees trying to catch his breath. "Now could you get me some shucking water before I pass out?" Alby seemed to smile for a second before planting a firm kick on the guys leg.

"Tell me what happened!"

"Get me some water slinthead!" And to Sadie's surprise Alby jogged off leaving the three of them alone while he went to get the Runner some water.

"I can't believe he let's you talk to him like that." Sadie commented watching Alby's outline disappear into the kitchens.

"Freakin' Newbies." He replied. Sadie glared down at him angrily she'd known the guy for a total of five minutes and she already wanted to kick him herself. "Name's Minho." He announced sticking his hand out for Sadie to shake. She ignored it.

"Just because we haven't been here that long doesn't make you or your shucking leader Alby any better than us." She hissed but Minho just chuckled and looked at Thomas like, _Can you believe this girl?_

"Listen chick I admire your attitude. But Alby ain't our leader. He's more like our Admiral. Yeah Admiral Alby.'' Sadie glared in wonder at him not quite sure if he was joking.

"Why are you back anyways?" Thomas asked crossing his arms.

"Slim it man. We gotta wait for Admiral Alby to come back." He answered less rudely this time.

"Fine. But we want to hear what happened when he does come back." Thomas replied his voice hard. Minho looked at him with grudging respect and shrugged.

"Ok Greenie. Whatever you say boss." He didn't seem to be lying. _Hm maybe he's not such a jerk after all. _When Alby came back he gave the two of them an annoyed glare.

"Ah let them listen Alby! They're going to shucking find out about it anyway." Minho said waving his hand dismissively.

"Fine, you got your water. Now talk." Minho took the water bottle from him and chugged the whole thing before answering.

"I found a dead one." Alby furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"A dead what?"

"A dead Griever."

Apparently it was a rare thing. Alby scoffed in disbelief crossing his own arms.

"A dead Griever? No kidding?''

"I'm dead serious man." The sun was quickly fading behind them and pretty soon all of the Runners were back.

"Are you sure? We need to send a party and go find it." Alby muttered pacing in front of the group.

"That's what I shucking came running back for. We need to go check it out tomorrow." Minho said impatiently. The sun was already touching the horizon, washing the Glade in a bronze and orange glow.

"But first we need to deal with something else tonight." Alby said looking up at the sky taking notice of the fading light. "Sadie go back to the Homestead." Alby ordered.

"Why?"

"Because we're gonna hold a Gathering and we have some business to take care of slinthead." He answered. Sadie sighed grumpily and stomped off, remembering what Chuck had said about the banishment.

* * *

As soon as the Gathering was over all the Keepers had come to the agreement that Alby and Minho would go scout out the dead Griever tomorrow morning. Newt still couldn't believe what Minho had told them. The word _dead_ and _Griever _didn't go together at all in Newt's mind. He slowly limped out of the meeting room and towards Homestead to keep an eye on Sadie. Alby's orders of course, but hey Newt wasn't complaining. He climbed up the old splintering wooden stairs and knocked on the doorframe of the girls' room. Sadie was sitting in a chair trying to feed the other girl, a brooding look splayed across her face.

"Hello love." Newt chirped pulling up a chair beside her. Sadie remained quiet glaring down into the bowl of soup she held. Newt waited patiently knowing all to well that she wasn't one for silence.

"Am I allowed to leave Homestead yet?" She muttered looking down at her lap angrily, and letting her hair fall in front of her face like a curtain. Newt's hand twitched and he had to resist the urge to brush her curls out of her face.

"Afraid not." He replied leaning back into his chair and peering around the small cozy room. Newt had slept here himself back when there was only a few Gladers. He had hated it. The room back then seemed bare and lonely. He much preferred to sleep out under the sky, but it didn't seem so bad with Sadie here. Even when she was sat brooding in her chair she still had a warm glow to her, making the place seem comfortable and homey.

"Why not?" She quipped angrily slamming the bowl down on the nightstand.

"It's official Glader business."

"What? Banishing someone? And here's a news flash Newt I am a Glader!" Newt blinked in surprise at her outburst.  
"Who told you?" Newt sat up and pulled Sadie's chair closer to him turning it so they were now facing each other, giving her no choice but to look him in the eye.

"Doesn't matter." She snapped meeting his gaze with her unreadable and warm brown eyes. "And it seems cruel." Newt couldn't help but agree. He had known Ben personally sure the bloke had been a bit annoying but it still seemed harsh to banish him. But no he had tried to kill another Glader and rules were rules.

"I know but there ain't a bloody thing we can do about it sunshine." Sadie rolled her eyes, something she seemed to do quite a lot.

"I still don't see why I'm not allowed to leave this shucking room." She mumbled pulling her knees up to her chest. Newt frowned and scooted forward in his chairs and rested his elbows on the arms of Sadie's chair.

"Because I asked Alby to make you stay in here." Sadie looked at him with narrowed eyes but Newt could see the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Why's that?"

"Because I didn't want you to see it. You already have nightmares." Sadie snorted and shoved his shoulder.

"Please, I'm perfectly capable of witnessing a silly banishing. Anyways what are they going to do about the dead Griever?" Sadie asked gently moving Newts elbows off of her chair and turning it back around. Positioning it so she could lay her head on Newt's shoulder. Newt froze when he felt the warm weight of her head press against his shoulder, and her soft hair tickle his neck. _Do I put my bloody arm around her? _Newt thought panicking slightly at the action.

"Y-you know about that too?" He asked trying to distract himself from looking down at her small nose and bow shaped lips. _Holy. Shucking. God. _

"Yeah, Minho told me and Thomas. You'd be surprised by all the things I know." She responded with a yawn. Newt swallowed and wondered if he should tell her or not. _Well it wouldn't bloody hurt anyone. _

"Is that so? Well, Alby and Minho are going to go out looking for it tomorrow."

"Oh. I'm guessing you don't really see a lot of dead Grievers?" She asked. Newt could feel her voice vibrating through his chest with each word. _Bloody hell. _

"Never."

They sat in silence for a bit. Newt figured that they were probably done with the banishing by now, but he didn't really want to go.

"Sadie if you want me to I can stay?" Newt suggested feeling his cheeks start to flush. He waited for a while but she didn't respond. He looked down at her questioningly. "Love, you awake?" He asked peering down at her. But she was already sound asleep curled up against his arm. Her hair fell in tangles across her forehead. This time Newt couldn't help but tuck the stray strands behind her ear. He smiled warmly down at her and chuckled softly.

"I guess I'll stay then."


	7. Into the Maze

Sadie woke up to find herself nuzzled against and slightly drooling on Newt's shoulder. She yelped and jumped out of her chair knocking it over and waking up Newt in the process.

"What? Who-?" Newt blurted knocking over his own chair. _Oh god. _Sadie thought in embarrassment. _Oh god, what was I thinking? What. Was. I. Thinking!_ Sadie could feel her cheeks burning as she mumbled an awkward

"Good morning." To him trying to look anywhere else but directly at his tousled hair or sleepy eyes. _Shuck. Shucking shucky shuck. Why did I do that? What could possibly possess me and make me think that was okay? _Sadie thought her mind scrambling in an embarrassed stupor. Thinking everything from _God I'm such a slinthead _to _Dang his shoulder was comfortable. _

"Um thanks for- for that." She stuttered dumbly. Newt scratched the back of his head and scuffed his shoe against the floorboards.

"Oh um, no problem love. We should probably get going." He responded coughing awkwardly and leading them towards the door. They walked together in an uncomfortable silence. This is exactly what Sadie had been worried about, now she'd gone and blown everything. The morning was crisp and cool but Sadie didn't see the usual Gladers rushing around. _Strange. _She thought, usually everyone was already at work. They found everyone gathered around the East entrance talking loudly and excitedly.

"What's going on?" Sadie asked pushing her way to the front, shoving people out of her way and giving a glare or two to the ones who tried to call her out on it.

"Alby and Minho, they're going to go search for the bugging Griever." Newt explained tailing her as she finally made her way to the front of the group. Alby and Minho were already gearing up, pulling on their backpacks and running shoes before facing the Maze. Every boy in the crowd quieted watching in silence as Alby gave a curt nod to the group and ran after Minho into the Maze, rounding a corner and disappearing from sight. And just like that the short excitement was over, sending everyone walking off to go do their jobs.

"Sadie, Newt!" A familiar voiced called out to them. Sadie searched the crowd and spotted Thomas followed by Chuck working his way through the dispersing Gladers towards them.

"This is a bad idea." Newt mumbled looking out into the Maze with a hollow and worried expression. His arms crossed and his stance tense.

"They'll be fine Newt." Sadie assured resting her hand on his shoulder, all awkwardness from before forgotten. He grabbed her hand with his opposite one, completely enveloping it with his calloused palm and held it in place on his shoulder causing Sadie to blush again.

"I hope you're right love." Newt muttered as Thomas and Chuck finally made their way to them. Chuck was practically skipping besides Thomas a huge smile plastered on his face. Thomas of course seemed both annoyed and amused by this as he rolled his eyes at the boy's cheeriness.

"You'll be working with me today Greenie!" Chuck announced trying, and failing to keep his excitement from showing. Sadie laughed loudly and raised her eyebrows.

"What did you call me Chucky?"

"Oh- um I meant Sadie." He coughed turning beet red. She chuckled and gave him an approving nod.

"Good that's what I thought you said." She gently slid her hand off of Newt's shoulder and smiled at him in reassurance. "See you later." And with that she jogged off her and Thomas trying to keep up with the overly excited Chuck.

* * *

The day went by quickly, well not quick enough in Sadie's opinion. She spent most of the day scrubbing floors and toilets alongside Thomas and Chuck. Her boredom was only broken up by the simple pranks her and Chuck continued to pull on Thomas, much to his annoyance. When the bathhouse was finally as clean as it was ever going to be, considering boys used it daily, they hurried out and away from any and all cleaning supplies.

"Ugh I never want to do that again." Sadie complained trying to stretch her back that had grown sore from bending over dirty sinks all day.

"Hey! That's my job and you should be one to talk! You're terrible at it!" Chuck argued shoving at the laughing Thomas and Sadie.

"Okay okay! So cleaning isn't my strong suit. So what?" Sadie chuckled sticking her tongue out at Chuck in return. They trio continued to laugh and goof around until they saw a pacing and disgruntled looking figure by the Maze doors.

"Newt?" Thomas called out, causing the boy to look around. Sure enough it was Newt with an agitated and grim look painted across his face. "What's up man?" He asked leading them towards the worried looking Glader.

"They should be back by now. They shoulda been back bugging hours ago." He muttered scowling down at his wristwatch.

"They probably just got side tracked." Thomas said Chuck nodding in agreement.

"Yeah they probably just found some interesting klunk and decided to have a look around. And have some fun yah know? I'm sure they'll be back any second." The boy added trying to sound upbeat. But the seconds quickly stretched into minutes, which stretched into twenty, which stretched into almost an hour. The sun was quickly sinking turning the sky a bloody red orange. _They should have been back hours ago. _Newts voice echoed in Sadie's head. She looked out into the Maze hoping to catch a glimpse of the boys rounding the corner. But nothing happened and no one came.

"Where are they?" She wondered aloud worry clouding her own voice. Every other Runner had already returned and finished in the Map room. The Maze doors would be closing soon…

"Why don't you just send some guys in after them?" Thomas suggested. Newt whirled on him and gave him a look so harsh it made Sadie shrink into herself.

"We can't! It's against the rules Tommy! It's one of the most important goddamn rules we bloody have here! We can't. We just can't." He finished slumping, his eyes shinning with anger… and fear. Sadie would never mention it out loud and she vowed never to ask Newt about it, but she knew. She could tell he was scared, no terrified of the Maze. Every time Sadie or Newt had brought it up his eyes seemed to grow a little darker, a little sadder. She dared not ask him, but it didn't stop the seed of curiosity from taking root inside of her. Another Glader had told her Newt used to be a Runner before his leg. _What happened to you? _Sadie asked quietly watching the boy grow more morbid and worried by the second. _And what happened to your leg? _

"But why not?" Thomas asked breaking her out of her thoughts. " I mean you can't just leave them out there! We have to do something!" He pushed before Sadie could silence him.

"Shut up you bugging Greenie! Do you honestly think I wouldn't risk my own bloody life to find those lugs if I could? I don't want to shucking leave them out there but there's not a damn thing I can do about it!" Newt yelled Sadie stepped forward hurriedly placing a calming hand on both Newt and Thomas's shoulder.

"Cut it out! This isn't helping anything." She urged trying to settle them down. But she couldn't help but think Thomas had a point. Why couldn't the just send some people in after them? They could be in trouble or worse, she understood it was dangerous but still… wouldn't it be worth it if they found them?

"We can't Tommy. Sending more Gladers out into the Maze is a bloody death sentence." Newt continued trying to keep his voice level. " We'd just end up losing more shanks. If they aren't back by now then-" But Newt didn't have to finish. Everyone lapsed into a grim silence that seemed to stretch on forever. The doors would be closing any minute now. Any minute. It was finally Chuck that broke the silence.

"Then they're probably shucking dead." He choked out tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes. "There's no use pretendin' they aren't coming back!" He wailed turning and running off leaving the three of them in a stunned silence as they watched him go. After a minute or two Newt let out a long and miserable sigh.

"The shank's right. They aren't coming back." Newt mumbled turning to look at Sadie with grief-stricken and defeated eyes. He looked out at the Maze one last time before stalking off leaving only Thomas and Sadie. She frowned sadly as she watched Newt walk farther and farther away. She'd only been her for less then a week and she already felt close to the Gladers. They already felt like family. Admittedly a weird and slightly twisted family, but still a family. Sadie could already feel the loss of Alby and Minho starting to squeeze her heart. And it finally did when the grinding sounds of the closing doors started. She felt like crying but no tears came. She'd have to stay strong and find Newt later. _I have to stay strong for him. _She commanded herself. But she was suddenly thrown out of her turmoil when Thomas let out a startled yelp and clapped a hand roughly down on her shoulder.  
"They're back!" He cried pointing out into the darkening Maze. Sadie looked in amazement and saw Minho running towards them half carrying half dragging another boy that could only be Alby.

"Newt!" Sadie screamed her voice filled with relief. "They're coming!" Newt had already made it to the front porch of Homestead but at the sound of her screams he had spun and broke out into a limping sprint. _He'll never make it._ Sadie realized looking back at the gap that was slowly closing off the Maze. _They'll never make it. _Thomas must have realized it too because he quickly grabbed Sadie by her shoulders and shook her.

"We have to do something Sadie, they aren't going to make it!" He shouted his eyes wide in terror. Sadie felt like the world was slowing down, it almost felt like Thomas was yelling at her down a long tunnel along with Newt shouting at them in the background.

"Don't you even bloody think about it!" Newt ordered as he neared them. Thomas shook Sadie roughly again snapping her out of her daze.

"We need to do something!" He yelled.

"Do something?" She parroted her mind racing trying to find a way to save them without doing the obvious, running in after them.

"Sadie!" He screamed again as the doors grew closer. 10ft, 8ft, 5ft. She locked eyes with Thomas and a silent agreement passed between them.

"Don't you bloody do it! Don't do it!" Newt roared. But it fell on deaf ears as Sadie clasped Thomas's hand and went sprinting into the Maze narrowly sliding through the doors. She could her Newt shouting her name behind her but it was soon all cut off with the echoing and foreboding boom of the Maze doors closing behind them.


	8. The Grievers and the Cliff

"No don't!" Newt yelled watching in horror as she grabbed Tommy's arm and went running into the Maze. "Sadie!" He yelled but it was to late, the Maze doors closed with a heartbreaking boom trapping everyone Newt cared about inside the Maze. "No! No no no no no!" He shouted slamming his fist into the walls. _This can't be happening! Why didn't they bloody listen to me! I hate the Maze. I shucking hate it! _Newt wanted to scream but he had to do something. He rushed back over to the mess hall and told everyone what happened ushering them towards the East entrance. "We need to be ready for when those doors open!" He ordered limping in front of the entrance trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

"What's the point, they're as good as-" Gally started to say but was quickly cut off when Newt grabbed him roughly by his collar.

"I wouldn't finish that bloody sentence if I were you!" He growled shoving the Glader into the dirt before returning to face the closed doors. But Newt knew there was no hope. No one had ever survived in the Maze over night. He knew exactly what was waiting for Sadie and Thomas inside the Maze walls and the thought of it made Newt's blood turn to ice. _They can't bloody die. They can't._

* * *

When the walls closed realization finally dawned on Sadie, she was trapped. Ignoring the slowly building panic she felt Sadie went sprinting after Thomas to where Minho and Alby had collapsed on the ground. She immediately knelt by Alby and felt for his pulse. It was there, but just barely a small sputtering heartbeat. Alby looked like he'd been dragged through hell and back. His arms and chest were covered in large bloody gashes and puncture wounds, he was unconscious and a sickly pale yellow. Sadie had no idea how long he'd last but she knew there wasn't much hope, and it killed her. She had never really gotten along with Alby, he was always so uptight and was even more stubborn than she. But it still killed her to see him like this. Minho didn't look much better but he still managed to look at Sadie and Thomas in absolute disbelief and disgust.

"You two are a pair of the shuckiest shucking shuck-faces to ever walk on this shucking planet." He said clambering to his feet and leaning against the wall. He looked terrible, not as bad as Alby, but he was still covered in bruises and sweat and looked like he was about to pass out. But that didn't stop Sadie's temper from flaring up.

"You know that kind of sounded like a thank you, but a little different." She snapped pulling herself to her feet.

"Thank you? You expect me to shucking thank you?" Minho asked rolling his eyes. "Now they have two more bodies to look for in the morning!"

"We couldn't just leave you guys out here!" Thomas argued his face turning red.

"We're all dead. But whatever if you two want to break the rules and get yourselves killed be my guest." Minho answered letting out a bitter and humorless laugh. He knelt beside Alby and checked his pulse again. If it was possible Alby looked even worse. His breaths were coming out shaky and uneven and his usual dark color was draining fast.

"What happened?" Sadie asked pulling off her jacket and using it to try and slow the Glader's bleeding.

"Let's just say that Grievers are shucking good at playing dead." He said trying to help her stunt the blood flow.

"Is he going through the Changing?" Thomas asked

"You don't go through the Changing unless you get the Serum. And since those god-forsaken doors are closed my guess is he'll be dead in about an hour. 'Course we'll be dead soon anyways so there's no sense crying about it." Minho muttered in a hollow tone. Sadie could feel her insides knotting as she looked from Minho to Thomas to Alby then back again. _We're going to die_. She realized her head spinning. It all felt too familiar, the Maze, the Grievers, she'd been here before. She knew it. The feeling of despair, anger, and terror felt all too familiar to her. But it did nothing to stop all of these feelings from flooding her veins. _Just like my dream. _

"So you're telling me we don't have a chance?" Thomas asked shaking his head and leaning against the wall for support.

"None."

"No. There has to be a way. The others they survived. We can too." He said frustration coming off of Thomas in waves. Minho let out an angry sigh and looked at the two of them like they were the biggest slintheads he had ever laid eyes on.

"Don't you shucking get it? They got back before the doors closed. We. Are. Dead. Get that through your thick skull!" The boys continued to argue Thomas trying in vain to come up with some chance of their survival while Minho shot down each and every one of his ideas. Sadie ignored them and scanned her surroundings pressing her already blood soaked jacket into Alby's wounds. Mammoth sized walls covered in thick wild ivy surrounded them. They were alone for now. But Sadie knew it wouldn't last long. She turned her attention back towards the boys and found Minho grasping Thomas by his collar yelling angrily at him. Sadie sprang to her feet and shoved the two apart.

"Cut your crap!" She yelled all of the anger and frustration spilling out of her like a waterfall. "Freaking out like a bunch of slinthead shanks isn't going to solve anything! Now get a shucking grip!" The boys looked at her with wide eyes and a look of shame washed over both of their faces.

"Man, oh man I'm sorry." Minho whispered holding his face in his hands. "God I've never been so scared dude." He admitted clenching his fist in his hair. Sadie knew exactly what Minho was feeling fear and terror was pumping through her own body so fast that she felt like she might explode. But more than anything she was frustrated by the odd sense of dejavu she felt. Thomas was about to say something more when a low rumbling sound echoed in the Maze. All of their heads snapped up and looked down the darkened corridor as the sound came again. It sounded like the metallic whirring of blades and _click click clicked_ like fingernails against a window. But worst of all was the sound of a low haunting moaning that sent goose bumps racing up Sadie's spine. Sadie felt the blood drain from her face as the sounds grew closer, and closer.

"We have to split up." Minho said his eyes wide in terror. "It's the only chance we have. Just run and don't stop moving!" And with that the Runner sprinted away from them rounding a corner and disappearing from sight.

"He didn't just do that." Sadie croaked in disbelief. "Please tell me he didn't just do that.'' _How could he do that? How could he just leave us here! _Anger swelled inside of her, they had been here for less than a week and the guy who'd been a Runner for years just took off without them. If they didn't have a chance before they sure as hell didn't have one now. They had to do something, and quick because the grinding and groaning sounds of the Griever were growing nearer. Sadie could already picture it's sharp blades and needles, could already smell the disgusting oily sent of it. _Let it be quick. _She prayed her knees shaking. _No. _She snapped at herself trying to shake the impending doom from her head. _I'm not going out like this. _She looked around the Maze again and her eyes caught on the hanging vines of ivy. She hurtled over and tugged on one experimentally, her hands trembling.

"Sadie what are you doing?"

"I'm going to see if the vines will hold us Thomas. It's the only thing I can think of." She answered pulling a thick one from the wall and yanking it. She took a deep breath and pulled her knees to her chest clinging to the vine and exerting all her weight on it. It held but that wasn't saying much. She slowly pulled her self up the vine gripping the thick ivy like her life depended on it. And it did. She continued to climb and almost cried in relief when she found that most of the vines were strong and easy to climb. She scrambled down the wall and looked from Thomas to Alby.

"We aren't leaving him." Thomas ordered, and Sadie sighed in relief looking towards the wall.

"Okay. I- I think I have an idea." The two worked fast and dragged Alby's unconscious form towards the wall. Sadie picked an exceptionally thick vine and began to tie it around Alby like a harness her hands flying over him as she tried to block out the ever-nearing Grievers. She fashioned one for Thomas and herself too, and they started to climb the wall pushing Alby up as they climbed. Sadie was surprised by how naturally it all came to her like she'd been scaling these walls for years. They continued stopping ever few feet to untie Alby and retie him farther up the vine. Alby was almost too heavy for the both of them and they were moving painfully slow. _Focus Sadie, you can do this. Just keep going. _

They were about 20 ft up the wall when the first Griever rounded the corner. Sadie stared in horror as the thing that was part animal part machine and all nightmare came rolling towards them. It was huge and had a slimy slug like body with sharp and menacing looking blades sticking out from every angle. It was covered in greasy looking hair and had two glowing red eyes. Long metallic arms scraped against the walls as the needles clanged together echoing the sounds of chainsaws and sharpening blades. Sadie was sure her heart had stopped for a moment as her whole body turned to mush. She probably would have stayed hanging from the wall in horror if it wasn't for Thomas.

"Tie him Sadie!" He hissed snapping her out of it long enough to secure Alby to the wall. "Untie yourself I have a feeling we're going to have to get down pretty quickly." Sadie did as she was told and clung to the vine her and Thomas huddled together against the thick ivy praying not to be seen as the Griever rolled directly below them. _Please go away. Go! Please don't see us. Please. Don't. See. Us. _

The Griever continued to roll away before pausing. And for a split second Sadie almost thought it was going to leave. But the Griever let out a blood chilling moan it's blades and arms popping out of it's slimy skin as it whirred directly towards Thomas, Sadie, and Alby. The Griever seemed to pause below them as if it was calculating what to do next. _Please god don't let them climb. Please tell me they can't climb! _Fear was swirling through Sadie like a tidal wave. And she felt her last shred of courage drain out of her as it began to climb the wall.

"I'll distract it Sadie!" Thomas yelled over the sound of the Grievers knives burrowing into the wall as it ground it's way toward them.

"_What!" _But Thomas ignored her and started to swing away from her and Alby automatically catching the Grievers attention. Sadie watched in horror as the Griever changed direction following Thomas as he climbed and swung to the left. Sadie had no choice but to swing towards the vine to her right and climb away from Alby and away from her best friend. Her veins coursed with adrenaline as she continued to swing from vine to vine finally landing on the ground of the Maze with a thump. She whirled around and saw Thomas clamber to the ground as well, Alby was still tied securely to the wall but the Grievers attention was on Thomas as it landed with a loud crash back on the floor separating them.

"No!" Sadie screamed sprinting towards the Grievers back. She jumped at the last second kicking off one of it's appendages kicking it loose as she hurtled over it and landed in a heap by Thomas. The Griever let out an earsplitting scream as one of it's arms fell off it's body with a clang. Thomas yanked her to her feet and pulled her down the corridor at a break neck speed the Griever rolling after them.

"_Go! Go! Go!"_ Sadie screamed sprinting alongside Thomas as they threw themselves around every corner. After hurtling down who knew how many corridors the pair came to a screeching halt as a second Griever rounded a corner and turned into the corridor in front of them. _ Well shit!_ The first Griever rolled in behind them trapping them in-between the two. _This is it._ Sadie thought. _This is how I'm going to die. _

Thomas quickly looked from one Griever to the other panic written all over his face.

"Sadie I have an idea!" He yelled in her ear.

"What?"

"Charge them and dodge them!" He shouted taking on a running stance.

"_What!" _Sadie repeated her eyes wide in fear.

"Charge and dodge!" Sadie looked back at him with a determined look and nodded. They turned and faced the closest Griever and with a final yell they sprinted towards it. The Griever seemed stunned like it couldn't believe how stupid the two were but continued to steam roll directly towards them. It grew closer and closer and closer. Until it was nearly on top of them, but at the last second Thomas dove to his left and Sadie dove to her right narrowly missing the Griever as it plowed into the one behind them with an echoing crash that shook the Maze walls. The two jumped to their feet and took off trying to get as far away from the Grievers as possible. But there were more, Sadie could hear their groans in the distance. It was only a matter of time until they ran into them too. A couple of corridors down a pair of hands reached out and yanked the two away by their shirts. Sadie yelped and punched randomly her fist connecting with something soft.

"Ow! Jesus chick calm down it's just me!" It was Minho who was now bent over after Sadie had knocked the wind out of him.

"You grabbed me!" She accused suddenly angry with the Runner. It took a second for Minho to catch his breath.

"That dive thing you two did back there…" Minho panted peering around the corner. "It gave me an idea, follow me!" Sadie and Thomas didn't hesitate to run after Minho as they continued to work their way deeper and deeper into the Maze. As they ran around another corner Sadie's breath caught in her throat in surprise. Directly ahead of them the corridor didn't end into another stonewall but rather opened up into a sudden drop. _The Cliff. _By the time the screeched to a stop there were at least six Grievers on their tail now. All of them stopped as the trio backed towards the cliff. They all lined up as if each of them were about to take turns picking the Gladers off.

"Okay face them and wait till-"

"I know." Thomas answered as the three turned to face the Grievers. "I'm ready." The first two Grievers charged towards them at surprising speed whirring and groaning menacingly.

"Not yet!" Minho yelled, as the Grievers grew nearer. "Wait for it…. Wait for it… Now!" He shouted Sadie and Minho dived to the left while Thomas took the right. The Grievers went flying of the cliff unable to stop their momentum. Sadie watched in amazement expecting them to hurtle towards the ground, but as soon as the Griever's left the cliff they disappeared from sight. That left four more Grievers but apparently they weren't to bright because they quickly followed the others over the cliff.

The trio continued to dive and dodge, dodge and dive until all of the Grievers had fallen over the side leaving them in the Maze alone in an eerie silence. They immediately collapsed onto the ground and dragged themselves away from the cliff their backs pressed against the wall as the sat huddled shoulder to shoulder. Tears streamed down Sadie's face as she gasped in relief her eyes staring off into the distance as the horror filled night finally caught up to her. Thomas was curled in on himself shaking uncontrollably as Minho held his face in his hands his shoulders trembling. Sadie wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but after awhile the sun started to rise washing the Maze walls in a soft hazy glow. It was Minho who spoke first resting a calming hand on Sadie's shoulders.

"We need to get going the Maze doors are going to open soon if we run back a ways we can make it." He whispered helping Sadie and Thomas to their feet.

"You think you can make it?" He asked brushing the dirt off of him as he looked over the cliff. Sadie knew she should make a sarcastic comment in return but she only had the strength to nod before mumbling.

"Alby… w- we left him on the wall."

"What?"

"Sadie came up with the idea. We climbed the walls and tied Alby up there out of reach." Thomas answered for her pointing in the direction of the East entrance.

"You- you mean he's still alive?" Minho asked a small spark of hope lightening his eyes.

"I think so." Sadie mumbled breathlessly. Minho nodded in amazement.

"Then we'd better get our shucking butts in gear." And with that the three tore off running down each and every turn until their surroundings started to look more and more familiar. Once they reached a certain point they all stopped doubling over and panting. Sadie had never felt so tired, so scared, and so cold in her entire life. As far as she could remember anyways.

"We can walk from here." Minho panted leading them farther down the corridor. "We're nearly there." Sadie didn't even have the energy to respond as she trudged after the two boys. They walked in silence for a couple of minutes before Minho turned and gave her a strange look.

"What?" She snapped rubbing at her face self consciously, he pursed his lips and turned till she was facing his back.

"Here, get on." He said gesturing towards his back.

"Excuse- what?" She sputtered her eyes widening.

"I said get on. You look shucking exhausted. We're almost back anyways." Sadie narrowed her eyes and let out a stubborn growl.

"What do you honestly think I can't walk by myself?" She hissed a sense of embarrassment and wounded pride rising in her.

"No I'm shucking sure you can. And I'm also sure you can beat the klunk outa me if I try anything. So just hurry up and get on." He ordered. Sadie wanted to argue further but she saw no point he was right she was tired. So without a word she walked towards him and clambered onto Minho's back. He hoisted her up holding her piggyback style before continuing to walk down the corridor. Thomas snickered beside them. Sadie let out a barely audible "Shut up" before she fell asleep.

Sadie woke up when Minho came to an abrupt halt. She sleepily looked up and saw that they had arrived back where they started. And that Alby was still hanging up in the vines. Sadie slid down from Minho's back with a yawn and peered up at the wall, the gears turning in her head.

"You got a knife?" She asked wresting her hands on her hips has she walked closer to the wall.

"Uh yeah?" Minho responded pulling out a wicked looking blade and handing it over to her. Sadie held the knife firmly and looked back towards the wall.

"I have an idea." She said grasping the knife between her teeth before making her way up the wall. She knew she should be concerned holding a giant knife in her mouth but Sadie was too busy focusing on climbing the vines towards Alby. She could hear Minho and Thomas let out low whistles as they watched her climb. When she finally reached Alby she grabbed another vine tying it around her waist before using two other ones to tie around Alby. She tied the new vines lower down then the ones he was currently attached to her fingers flying as she tugged and made knots. When she was done she removed the knife from her teeth and cut away the old vines holding onto Alby's arm with her free one. She slowly lowered Alby down until he was a few feet lower then before. She loosened her own harness and climbed down repeating the process.

"Dang the girls like a little shucking monkey." Minho commented from bellow.

"I heard that." Sadie snipped continuing to tie, cut, and lower herself and Alby over and over again. When they were only a few feet off the ground Thomas and Minho surged forward each grabbing Alby as Sadie cut off the last few vines before clambering down herself.

"He's alive." Thomas said in relief patting Sadie on the back. She smiled tiredly in response when a grinding noise suddenly pierced the air. _The doors! _They rushed over to the East entrance Thomas and Minho supporting Alby between them. Sadie wanted to cry in relief all over again as the Maze doors opened up and revealed a group of surprised looking Gladers.

"They're alive!" Someone shouted before everyone rushed forward yanking them out of the Maze. Showers of questions rained down on Sadie but she ignored each and every one. _So tired. _She thought her body sagging with dead weight. She made it about half way back to Homestead before collapsing on the ground curling up in a ball and sinking into a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

Newt found her like that. And he had never been so happy to see someone passed out on the ground. She was curled in a tight ball covered in bruises and scratches her body had a thick layer of dirt, grime, and sweat on it but Newt thought she'd never looked better. He sighed in relief before leaning over and gently scooping her up cradling her sleeping form in his arms. _You're such a bloody idiot. _He thought peering down into her sleepy face that was pressed against his chest. _Such an idiot. _


	9. The Gathering

"Sadie." A voice whispered in her ear tugging on her hair and shaking her shoulder. Sadie groaned in response burrowing herself farther into her warm pillow and blanket as sunlight leaked in through the windows.

"Psst Sadie? Come on!" The voice pestered again ripping her blanket off of her.

"No. Sleep is good." Sadie groaned her toes curling as they were exposed to the cold morning air. Slowly she forced her eyes open peering around the room groggily. Her whole body ached, her legs were sore, her arms felt strained, and she was pretty sure her hands had rope burn. Memories of last night in the Maze stealthily crept up on her until she could practically feel the sticky slime of the Griever's from the night before. She shuddered and shot up in bed surprising an equally as tired looking Chuck.

"Jeez Sadie way to give me a shucking heart attack!" Chuck said slapping his hand over his chest comically. Sadie rolled her eyes and tried to comb her fingers through her impossibly tangled and curly hair.

"What's the big deal? Why are you waking me up so early?" She whined as Chuck grabbed onto her arms and dragged her out of bed and towards the rickety stairway leading out of the Homestead.

"Newt called a Gathering after what you and Thomas did last night."

"Oh that."

"Yeah that! That was some gutsy klunk!" Chuck exclaimed peering up at her in slight awe. Sadie shrugged and continued to clomp through the grass beside Chucky heading towards the small meeting room.

"Wait Newt called the meeting? Why didn't he come and wake me up himself?" Sadie asked rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and yawning widely.

"I don't know the guy's busy. Especially with Alby being hurt and all. Why you asking?" Chuck responded wiggling his eyebrows at her. Sadie snorted and shoved him.

"I was just wondering!" She said rolling her eyes in exasperation as a small blush crept up her neck. Her thoughts immediately scampered to the night he had comforted her, and to the night he had told her stories, and to the night she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. It was starting to feel like she'd never gone a night without seeing him.

"Naw you just wanted Newt to go wake you up so you could give him some loving." Chuck teased elbowing Sadie and giving her an over dramatic wink.

"Oh shut up slinthead." Sadie hissed grabbing him by his shirt and rubbing her knuckles into his shaggy and curly head. Chuck laughed loudly and pushed her away running off towards the meeting room. Sadie chuckled shaking her head as she followed the younger boy but all feelings of happiness quickly drained out of her because as soon as she set foot into the Gathering room all eyes turned on her. It was set up much like it had been before large chairs were set up in a semi-circle facing not one but two smaller less comfortable chairs, one of which was already occupied. Thomas looked up at her and smiled shrugging his shoulders nervously. Sadie tried for a small one in return and waved awkwardly walking towards the empty chair and flopping down onto it. _Here we go again. _Sadie thought watching as all of the Keeper's took their seats, everyone was there except for Alby. His chair sat empty next to Newt and seemed to make everything gloomier.

"Ok now that everyone's here, and since our leader Alby's sick I'll declare this Gathering begun." Newt announced rolling his eyes at the formality of it all. "So, we all know why we're here. Everything's been bloody crazy these past couple of days and it all seems to be circling around Tommy and Sadie here." Sadie gripped her hands together tightly in her lap determined not to flush in embarrassment or to show any kind of anxiousness. She'd sat in this seat before getting questions thrown at her left and right, and she hated it with a passion. She already had trouble remembering things, obviously, and now they were going to ask her about last night, which quite frankly she didn't want to talk about. A loud snort came from the eleven Keepers breaking Sadie out of her thoughts as a tall but lanky boy leaned forward in his seat. He had a primitive looking face and a large nose that took up most of it. He ignored Sadie completely and seemed to focus on Thomas.

"They're nothing but a bunch of rule breaking Greenbeans." A few of the boys started to mumble in hushed towns around them before Newt could finally calm them down.

"Sorry but who are you?" Sadie asked in a clipped tone, Newt was about to speak again when the boy stepped forward and squinted at her.

"The name's Gally, but most people call me Captain Gally." Everyone in the room snickered and groaned mockingly.

"Captain Gally?" Sadie snorted raising her eyebrows in amusement. "Did you come up with that one all on your own?"

"Sadie, Gally could you two pipe down I'm trying to keep some bugging order 'round here. And Gally if you're going to keep running your bloody mouth you can just shucking leave." Newt growled giving the Glader a cold look before continuing. "Anyways we're all here because every bloody Glader has been coming up to me either whining about you two or begging for a bugging autograph. We need to figure out what to do with you two." Newt said giving Gally a warning look daring him to speak. Sadie sunk lower into her chair; she was already liking this less and less.

"What do you mean _do with us_?" Sadie blurted out causing a few of the Keepers to laugh like she'd asked an obvious question.

"Well we'll have to decide that. And you two can't bloody talk for any of it, got that?" Sadie could practically feel her stubbornness rising up inside her, she wanted to argue but Thomas quickly laid a hand on her forearm catching her eye. _Just go with it. _ He seemed to say to her as he gave her a grudging look. Sadie huffed and turned back in her seat focusing her own eyes on Newt.

"Fine." She mumbled reluctantly crossing her arms as she starred him down. Newt shrugged apologetically and turned towards Zart.

"Start her off Zart." And with that the meeting proceeded. Every Keeper got the chance to speak Sadie biting her tongue in an attempt to keep her flooding comments from pouring out. To her relief most of them were on their side, calling what they did brave and even amazing. Except of course for Gally, Winston and even a few others Sadie had to dig her fingernails into the chair to ovoid calling out and arguing with each and every boy that sided against them. _Just get it shucking over with. _She thought trying to keep her eyes glued on Newt as he scribbled down everyone's recommendations his brow crinkling in concentration.

"I think I've made my opinion clear." Gally announced sitting up straighter in his chair when it was finally his turn.

"Good that, we'll go onto Minho then." Newt sighed rolling his eyes.

"No! I wasn't finished!" Gally yelled causing Sadie to jump in her seat at his outburst.

"Then bloody get on with it!" Newt ordered gripping the pencil in his hand so tightly Sadie was sure it was going to snap.

"You all have to stop and think. All of this seems a bit fishy right? I mean first the slinthead of a Greenbean shows up then two _girls_ come up in the shucking box! Now they're running off into the Maze acting like they're shucking gods pretending to rescue people. I bet it wasn't even their ideas to get rid of the Grievers and tie Alby up."

"Pretending!" Sadie barked unable to sit in silence any longer. "You've got to be shucking kidding me. How would we even pretend to save someone? Are you a shucking idiot or something?"

"Sadie enough." Newt ordered but she didn't care she was so sick and tired of all of this. She was on a roll and not even Newt was going to stop her.

"And it was our shucking ideas! You got that? We aren't here to mess everything up! In fact I didn't even ask to freaking be here, none of us did! We're no different than any of you so give us a shucking break already because all we did was help someone!" Sadie yelled her face burning in anger as she leaned forward in her chair everyone watching her with wide eyes. Gally let out an angry yell and shot to his feet sending his chair toppling over.

"I won't shucking do it! I know who he is!" Gally shouted pointing an accusing finger at Thomas, "And you're no better than him. We can't shucking trust you two! The creators probably just sent you here to spy on us didn't they? Didn't they bitch!" He stepped forward yelling into Sadie's face as spit droplets flew from his mouth, spraying Sadie's cheek.

"I said enough!" Newt yelled jumping to his feet and slamming Gally back into his own. "Now shut your bloody mouth and I better not hear another bugging word out of you or so help me." Newt growled his voice getting dangerously low. When Gally didn't respond and continued to sit in a stunned silence Newt nodded towards Minho. "Hurry up and bloody say something Minho before I go shucking mad." Sadie sunk back into her seat her chest rising and falling quickly as the adrenaline and anger from before slowly began to drain out of her as Minho stepped forward.

"I was out there with them." He said quickly, "I saw what they did. They stayed strong while I ran off like some klunk head chicken. Now I'm going to go ahead and say my recommendation, no use yacking everyone to death like Gally.'' Minho took a shaky breath and looked from Sadie to Thomas before finishing. " I think they should both become Runners and I nominate Thomas to take my job as Keeper of the Runners."

As soon as the words left his mouth the room erupted into an uproar as everyone began yelling trying to get their opinions heard as everyone else shouted their own.

"That's ridiculous!"

"He can't replace you as Keeper!"

"What the klunk is going on in that head of yours Minho?"

"You're all insane!" Sadie stayed rooted to her chair her eyes seemed to grow as wide as plates as she watched everyone in amazement. _A Runner? Me! And Thomas…_ Sadie shifted in her seat and saw that Thomas seemed just as shocked as she felt he turned towards her his mouth slightly ajar. _Keeper of the Runners? _

"Would you shanks quit your bloody crying!" Newt yelled over the noise giving everyone a hard stare until they returned to their seats in silence. "We need to make a bloody decision!" But it seemed like Gally wasn't done because he stood up and faced Minho he looked so angry Sadie wouldn't have been surprised if steam started to come out of his ears.

"That is the biggest pile of klunk I've ever heard. And I get it that they're two smart ass shanks but-"

"No you don't shucking get it!" Minho argued cutting Gally off and stepping forward. "You're nothing but a worthless little slinthead that couldn't last five minutes in the Maze without klunking in your shucking pants. You aren't a Runner and you never will be! So don't say you get it because, You. Shucking. Don't!" Gally's fist clenched his face turning beet red as he stomped towards Minho.

"If you ever say that again I'll kick your shucking ass!" Gally bellowed but Minho just shook his head and chuckled darkly before stepping forward and slamming his palm into Gally's chest sending the Glader sprawling onto the floor. Minho stepped forward and pushed the bottom of his boot into Gally's chest pinning him to the ground.

"I swear to god Gally, if you ever threaten me again, or even shucking talk to me I will kick your shucking ass over the cliff myself." Everyone in the room watched in complete and utter silence as Minho looked down at Gally his face hard. The tension in the air was so thick Sadie could have cut it with a butter knife. Finally Minho slowly lifted his boot off of the boys chest and resumed leaning against the wall watching in amusement as Gally stumbled towards the exit. He turned and looked at Thomas with a penetrating gaze and said "Whatever you came here for, I swear I'll shucking kill you before you get the chance." And with that he dashed out.

The room broke out into more arguments but Sadie blocked them all out Gally's threat towards Thomas still ringing in her ears. She'd never tell Thomas but she had been having dreams about him too. Dreams about him and Teresa, she already hated Gally's guts but she couldn't help but wonder. In her dreams Thomas and Teresa had been hovering over her, her arms bound to a freezing hospital-operating table as they looked down at her with stoic expressions. The dream always ended in the same way, with Teresa whispering how sorry she was as her and Thomas lowered a helmet over Sadie's head and then it would all fade to black. _What does all of this mean? Thomas is my friend and so is Teresa, but my dreams-_

"My recommendation is that we hold you both up one day in the Slammer. " Newt said snapping Sadie out of her daze. "That'll be your punishment, but I also think Tommy here should be a Runner, as for being a bloody Keeper though well you can forget about that Tommy." Most of the boys in the room nodded in agreement calling out their votes until Sadie finally realized Newt hadn't mentioned her.

"Wait what about me?" She asked trying to catch Newt's eye as he scribbled away at his notebook.

"What about you sunshine? I already said you'd get one night in the Slammer."

"You know that's not what I meant. What about being a Runner?" The room quieted everyone turning to watch as Newt peered up at Sadie holding her gaze a pensive look pulling at his face.

"We already voted and the answer is no." He responded in a gravelly and condescending tone.

"_What!" _Sadie shrieked jumping to her feet in outrage. "I was in that shucking Maze too." She roared balling her fist up at her sides as new anger flooded her veins.

"That answer is still bloody no." Newt said pulling himself to his feet and stomping off without another word. Sadie stood stock still her mind spinning in a thousand different ways as she watched the door bang shut behind him.

"Um Sadie you okay there?" Thomas asked quietly as Minho and Frypan joined them all watching as the curly headed girl slowly shook in rage.

"What is his problem!" She demanded whirling on Frypan and Minho the two jumped back instinctively and raised their hands in defense. "Who does he think he is!" She roared stomping her foot. Sadie figured she probably looked like a five year old throwing a tantrum but she didn't care she had earned the right to be a Runner and so help her she was going to become one.

"Sadie I'd just leave it alone." Minho warned watching her warily but it all fell on deaf ears as Sadie stormed out of the Gathering room her head whipping around until she spotted the limping figure of Newt disappear into one of the sheds near the Gardens. _You are in so much shit. _Sadie thought scathingly as she sprinted towards the small and ramshackle shed. _Wait till I get my shucking hands on you Newt!_


	10. Newt

Sadie sprinted through the Glade. She was nothing but a blur of curls as she pushed her way past various Gladers her eyes locked on the ancient looking shed.

Sadie felt like she could have punched her way through a brick wall, and others seemed to catch onto her intensity as everyone steered clear. A couple of Glader's even yelled and sprung out of her path when she ran by, nearing her destination at top speed.

When she reached the sagging doorway she wasted no time and Spartan-kicked it open, sending dust flying as she stormed in. With a quick sweep of the room Sadie focused her fiery eyes on a very surprised looking Newt.

"Bloody hell Sadie!" Newt yelped as she flew towards him jabbing her finger furiously into his chest until he was backed up against a rickety old table.

"You!" Sadie growled backing him up even further until the two were almost nose-to-nose. "What. Is. Your. Problem?" She demanded, punctuating each word with the stab of her index finger. All the while Sadie had become very aware of the shrinking distance between them, a furious blush rising to her face.

But, no she didn't care how much she'd come to care about the Glader. She was still prepared to kick his ass from there to the Box, and he could see it.

In fact Newt could have sworn he saw fire flickering in her eyes and lightning zigzagging it's way through her curly hair as she continued to jab at his chest.

"Problem? I don't have a problem love." He replied calmly, which did nothing to improve Sadie's already sweltering anger.

"Don't you dare give me that! You know exactly what I'm talking about." "Listen here love-"

"No! And don't call me love!" She snapped. Newt visibly grimaced as a look of hurt flashed across his face. Sadie's voice faltered slightly her hand dropping as she immediately regretted what had just come out of her mouth. "Newt-"

"No. You want to know what my problem is?" He asked her, hostility beginning to flood his voice. "My problem is you and that bloody Maze. And the fact that you actually _want _to go back in there!" He yelled waving his arms around him in frustration. He let out a deep sigh through his nose, as if all of this had been pent up. And no doubt it had been building since she came back from the Maze. Finally he settled his eyes back on her, his original calm replaced with a roaring squall. "You don't belong in that Maze Sadie!"

"Yes I do!" She shouted back her temper quickly rising to its boiling point. "I survived over night in that damn Maze when no one else has." Newt rolled his eyes in exasperation and snorted. Sadie snorted back, imitating the boy, which only made him angrier.

"You staying in that Maze last night was nothing more than a mistake." He growled crossing his arms and giving her a piercing glare.

"I had to!" Sadie snapped back. She began pacing angrily in front of the blonde Glader, afraid of what she might do if she weren't moving.

"No you didn't! If you would have just bloody listened to me then-"

"Then Alby and Minho would be dead. I couldn't just leave them out there!" Sadie exclaimed finally stopping in front of him to slam her fist down on the table, narrowly missing Newt's hand. Her mind flashed back to the staggering figure of Minho as he dragged Alby towards the doors in vain. "I helped save them Newt. Alby would have died if Thomas and I hadn't gone into the Maze." She reminded him her voice shaking. Newt let out a frustrated growl and grabbed onto her hand, his larger hand completely enveloping hers until he was clutching it to his chest, hoping to make her see his point.

"Stop this!"

"No! They would have died Newt!"

"YOU COULD HAVE DIED!" He roared letting her hand go to grip his hair between his fists as the last dam inside of him broke. Panting, Newt looked down at Sadie, an intense anger bubbled like magma behind those beautiful eyes.

A strange feeling swirled through her gut at the sight. It felt like a wildfire had been set off inside of her, a raging inferno that was slowly consuming everything.

"Don't you bloody understand? You could have shucking died Sadie! I'm not about to let that happen again."

"I didn't die! I'm right here Newt and not letting me become a Runner isn't going to stop me."

"You have no idea how bugging dangerous it is in there." He reprimanded her, looking down his nose like a parent scolding a child.

And that was it. Sadie had had enough. She'd been dreaming about the horrors of the Maze for days only to go on and then witness them all firsthand. How dare he say that to her! After all she'd been through? After the past couple of days she'd been having? After being shoved into a community of boys and then nearly being killed by mechanical monsters in a twisted death trap?

_No! _Sadie was as tough as any Glader out there, maybe even tougher. She knew that now, but why didn't he?

"I know exactly how dangerous it is you shucking idiot!" Sadie shouted slapping her palms against Newt's toned chest. "I know what it's like out there! And I shucking hate it Newt, I do. But I want to find a way out of this goddamn place!"

"And risk your own life?" He argued grabbing her by her shoulders, his fingers digging into her shoulder blades as he held her tightly. "Don't you care about your own life at all?" He sounded pained now, desperate even.

"Yes! But it's not just about me Newt! Please, let me be a Runner! You let Thomas be a Runner and I deserve it just as much as he does! I can do something, I _need _to do something!" She shouted in reply.

"Thomas is different!"

"No he isn't! Give me one good shucking reason why I shouldn't go into the Maze. One god damn reason Newt!"

"I don't have to give you anything." He hissed shaking her roughly as if that would clear the thought from her mind. Sadie could feel her anger all the way down in the pit of her stomach; tearing at her insides like a ravenous bear trying to claw it's way out.

"And I don't need your permission." She hissed watching in satisfaction as Newt slid his hands away from her shoulders his eyes widening.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me." The pair stood in silence waves of seething rage rippling between them as he looked at her in disbelief. Sadie could almost see the gears whirring in Newt's brain at a hundred miles an hour. Her threat echoed in her head. Could she actually go through with it?

"No." Newt finally said his voice dangerously calm. He looked up at her and Sadie felt her insides turn cold, she'd never seen his eyes look so dark. "I swear I will do whatever it shucking takes to make sure you never set foot in that bloody Maze again."

"Why!" She yelled refusing to accept it, refusing to let him control her like this.

_I could leave. _

Sadie suddenly thought, and she knew it was true. If she wanted to she could run into the Maze right now and no one would be able to stop her. Not Newt, not Thomas, not Minho, no one. But that was just it, she didn't want to.

She couldn't explain it but she wanted Newt's approval. She wanted him to trust her and believe she could handle it. It wasn't enough that she already knew she was strong, he had to understand it too.

"Why won't you let me? Can't you see that I want this? I thought you were my friend!" She screamed as her emotions started to get the best of her. She could feel tears burning behind her eyes. Angry, frustrated and embarrassed tears. But she wouldn't cry. She would not cry in front of him especially not over this. "Friends are supposed to support each other! You're supposed to help me and encourage me not pull me down! Friends don't do that Newt!"

"Well maybe I don't want to be just your friend! Maybe I care about you more than that! Maybe I just don't want to lose you like I thought I did last night! " Newt shouted his voice bursting to the seams as it finally all came out.

Sadie let out a small ragged gasp, her next insult dying in her mouth as she reeled back. Stumbling away from him Sadie experienced something she had never felt before. She was at a complete loss for words. The comment had hit her like a slap in the face and she was overwhelmed by how much it hurt her.

Newt had thought she was going to die in the Maze. That all of them, her Thomas, Minho, Alby, that they were all gone forever. And now here she was begging to go back.

And the rest of it, well what did she say to that? _I don't want to lose you either. _That was just it. She had to tell them but her mouth was full of cotton and he was still looking at her with that furious frustration that made her breath shaky.

"Wait… Did you say… Do you… Not just friends?" She mumbled, her thoughts jumbling together as she gripped her temples with her fingertips. Oh she was going to get a headache all over again!

Sadie waited in silence for him to answer, her eyes traveling up to his face. But he just stood there looking at the ground as the silence dragged on for what felt like years. If he didn't say something soon Sadie might just have head butted him.

"Newt?" Sadie mumbled stepping forward and tugging on his sleeve gently, as if coaxing a scared animal out of hiding. He still didn't look up. Sadie took a deep breath and tried again. "_Newt."_ She said, softer this time, her voice just barely a whisper. And to her relief he finally dragged his eyes up from the floor and met her own.

Thousands of questions buzzed around inside Sadie's head, but for once she was at a total loss for words. _Just shucking ask. _She ordered but she just couldn't seem to get her voice to work.

But when Sadie peered up into his eyes she realized she didn't need to ask, because his eyes were telling her everything.

His eyes seemed to soften as he stared into hers crinkling slightly at the corners as if his face was about to break into a smile. His hazel orbs were warm and endearing at their center, the rest of his emotions bristling out around them as if trying to hide what was at their core.

Sadie had always felt proud of the fact that she could read people so easily and Newt was no exception. She was reading him like an open book. Everything from his eyes to his stance was a dead giveaway.

Even though Newt's eyes were warm his body was tense like a strand of coiled wires. He gripped the edge of the table his knuckles white and his shoulders tight, his muscles straining against his shirt. How had Sadie not seen it before? The way he would look at her out in the Glade. Or how soft his voice would get during those sleepless nights, or even when she first got to the Glade.

_Do something. _She pleaded silently waiting for something to happen, for Newt to answer. But the minutes continued to tick by silently. And finally Sadie couldn't take it anymore as impatience bubbled up inside of her.

"Fuck it." She said her hands flying away from her body and latching on to Newt's collar. With her new grip she yanked him down to her and quickly pressed her lips against his.

It was only a peck, just a quick flash of his soft lips pressing against her own. But it was still enough to make the room spin and Sadie's heart patter when she released him.

"There. Was that so- Oh shit." Sadie gasped smacking her palm against her forehead as realization dawned on her. _What have I done? _ "Oh shit!" She said louder this time her face turning bright red as Newt stared at her with a completely shell-shocked expression.

"Holly shuck I can't believe I just did that. Oh god I'm sorry! So shucking sorry! I didn't mean to do that! Well actually I did… mean to, that is. Wait no! I just- god I'm sorry I just thought- well I was just! I mean. I-I mean? God damn it what do I mean!" She ranted, words spurting out of her like a hydrant as she felt her body turn into mush. Sadie wanted nothing more then to disappear. She wished with all her heart that she could turn into a turtle and hide inside her shell forever.

"Shucking shucky shuck. I don't know why I did that! Wait yes I do. No! Shit! I mean-" But Sadie's ramblings were mercifully cut off when Newt leaned forward and gently cupped her face in his calloused hands. Sadie's mouth snapped shut her body freezing in place as the feeling of his warm hands against her face traveled through her. Ever so gently, Newt's thumb grazed her jaw his eyes focusing on her mouth.

He inched closer his nose brushing against her as he leaned down. His left hand slowly sliding across her cheek and around her neck, brushing her hair aside as he pressed his lips to hers. Sadie blinked in shock, before her eyes fluttered close and she melted into the kiss.

He kissed her softly his warm lips molding against hers as she reached up and tangled a hand in his thick, blonde hair. Her other hand found his jaw and she traced the bold edge with her fingertips as they kissed, something she'd been wanting to do for a while.

When they finally pulled away Sadie could feel electricity running through each and every nerve in her body. Her lips, her face, and her stomach were on fire.

"I've been wanting to do that for a long bloody time." Newt mumbled against her mouth and Sadie was sure she was about to spontaneously combust on the spot. She wrapped her arms around his neck securely, his own arms holding her tightly to him. It took a second or two for Sadie to collect her thoughts and then she finally spoke. Her mind suddenly back onto the reason she had found him in the first place.

"Newt you know I can take care of myself right?" She mumbled looking up into his hazel eyes. Her voice quieter but still filled with the stubborn intensity she had felt before. She would not sway.

Seeing this Newt sighed loudly and rested his forehead against hers, the ends of his hair tickling her nose. He seemed to be having a silent battle within himself. And he didn't look too pleased with the outcome.

"Yeah I know. God I know Sadie. It doesn't stop me from worrying though. I can't lose you, not again." His grip tightened around her, the warm pressure of his hand on her lower back pulling her even closer.

"I'll be fine out there Newt. I know what I'm doing and I can take care of myself. You won't lose me." But he still didn't seem convinced. "And I'll have Thomas and Minho with me the whole time." She pointed out, her chin bumping against his sweetly as she talked.

"Oh god those slintheads? Now I'm really worried." He joked a sly grin working it's way onto his face.

"Newt." She warned raising her eyebrows at the boy she couldn't help but like. _Of course I had to pick the smartass. _She thought in exasperation.

"Fine fine. You can be a Runner." He responded grudgingly a worried frown still tugging at his lips while a large smile broke out on Sadie's face.

"Yes!" She shrieked, breaking away from Newt to pump her fist in the air in triumph. He frowned at the sudden space between them and pulled her back over. Sadie happily complied and threw her arms around him, tackling him with a bear hug. "Thank you!"

"Yeah not really something to get on about Sadie." He grumbled but Sadie didn't care.

"Oh shut up Mr. Weird and Negative Accent." She teased burrowing her face into the crook of his neck. Sadie could feel his chest vibrate as he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head as a long sigh escaped his lips.

"What, you don't like my voice?" He whispered gruffly into her ear, making goose bumps crawl up her skin.

"No, I love it. Doesn't mean it's not weird though." Sadie replied, breathing in his deep woodsy smell the sound of his heart thumping echoing like a lullaby against her ear. "I really mean it Newt. Thank you." She mumbled hugging him tighter, relishing in how warm his arms were around her.

"Anytime love." He answered placing a soft kiss on her head as he let the comforting nickname brought a smile out in her again. Laughing, Sadie unraveled her arms from around his torso pulling his face towards hers to kiss him again. But they were suddenly snapped out of their little moment when a loud and boyish voice shrieked with delight. Sadie and Newt jumped apart whirling around until they caught sight of Chuck standing in the doorway smiling at them devilishly.

"I shucking knew it!" The boy crowed before turning and running off laughing hysterically as he sped away. The two blinked in surprise eyes glued to the spot where Chuck had vanished from.

"What in the-?" Newt said but Sadie could only laugh at his bewildered expression. He gave her a little glare before breaking into a smile of his own. "We better go find him before he tells the whole bloody Glade the we're… I mean… we-we are right?" Newt asked awkwardly. Sadie snickered and slid her hand into his causing Newt to break out into heartbreakingly endearing smile.

"Oh we shucking better be."


	11. Memories

Sadie was sprinting down a long white hallway a gun in hand and a wicked looking blade strapped to her thigh. Explosions shook the building as her feet thudded against the hard floor. They were after her, she had no back up, and she was almost out of ammo. If it came down to it Sadie would have to pull out her knife, and then things would really get… messy. Sadie was alone for now but she could already hear the echoing thuds of boots on concrete, and it was coming from everywhere.

"Stop!" A voice barked from behind her causing Sadie to put on a new burst of speed that sent her flying around a corner into another long corridor and smack dab into the chest of a guard.

"Crap!" Sadie yelped as the guard grabbed onto her arm yanking her off her feet and pointing his gun to her temple. She knew it wasn't a normal gun she could tell just by the electric hum coming from the barrel. But one shot to her temple would definitely kill her. And it would definitely be painful.

"I got her!" The guard shouted into a radio as more guards flooded the hallways surrounding her in a sea of black uniforms and guns.

"Oh why don't you take that freaking gun and shove it up your-" But Sadie was cut off when a female guard stalked forward and slammed the butt of her gun into Sadie's gut knocking the wind out of her. The guard hit her a few more times for good measure before they dragged her off. But Sadie didn't mind, they were taking her exactly where she wanted to go. After a few turns they arrived at a sleek silver door that slid open to reveal a large room filled to the brim with computers and monitors all of them currently empty. The screens flashed quickly switching frames and showing different views of a large open field crowded with boys and another one with girls. _They actually did it. They actually made the Maze. _Sadie thought in disbelief and horror, so her informants hadn't been lying when they briefed her.

"Did you get her?" A reedy male voice asked as a tall rodent looking man stepped into the light his eyes focused on one of the screens.

"Yes sir." The guard holding Sadie answered shaking her roughly for emphasis.

"Excellent. It's so strange, they're already forming a community." The man said rubbing a hand over his nearly baldhead. He was watching one of the screens intently his eyes flickering with a sickening glee as the boys on the screen started to organize into groups. "It really is fascinating I never thought they would start off so well." The man laughed and brought his hands together with a loud clap before turning his attention towards Sadie. "Thank you, the rest of you may leave now."

"But sir she could be dangerous." The female guard barked nudging Sadie's stomach with the gun.

"Please she's only a little girl. Besides the rest of her buddies in that pathetic group of renegades are already dead. She has nowhere to go, and no way to escape." Sadie felt her blood turn to ice and her gut twist. _They're dead? _She couldn't deny this didn't only complicate things it made everything impossible. _I have a job. _She thought determined to not let the worry show on her face. _And I already have a plan. _The guards nodded and left taking Sadie's gun with her but unknowingly forgetting to confiscate her knife.

"So Sadie, you and the rest of those rebels have sure caused a lot of trouble." The man said_ tsk_ing at her like she was a child who'd just broken a vase. "You were so intelligent, you had such promise." He sighed shaking his head in disappointment.

"You actually did it. You actually sent those poor kids into those damn experiments. How can you people do that?" Sadie growled in disgust watching a camera as it spanned over the Maze.

"It was for the sake of humanity."

"It's wrong!" He continued to shake his head and stepped forward grabbing Sadie's jaw in his hand with a steel-like grip.

"It's the only way, the only way we can find a cure."

"There is no cure!" Sadie spat wrenching her face from the man's grip.

"If only you would have helped Thomas and Teresa. The Maze experiment would have been done months ago. But no, you had to play the little hero and escape. I will admit however it does make for an interesting variable." He wrung his hands and turned his back on her focusing on a screen that showed a group of girls. "We'll send you into Group B, it's an honor really. You should be grateful." Sadie ignored him and quietly pulled out her knife the blade glinted in the florescent lights and the weight was almost a comfort in her hand. He had his back turned it would be easy, so easy. _Just do it. _She thought creeping towards him. But then another door opened.

"Sadie!" A girl yelled causing Sadie to stumble backwards in surprise as two figures entered the room. A boy and a girl.

"Teresa? Thomas?" Sadie whispered her eyes wide as they surged forward wrestling the knife from her hand.

"Don't do this Sadie! Wicked is good, they're finding a cure!" Teresa said holding onto her arm tightly as they pulled her out of the room the rat man waving as they left. Sadie kicked and screamed and struggled but Thomas and Teresa wouldn't let go. _You're my friends. You're my best friends. Why are you doing this? _Sadie thought hopelessly as they carried her into a bleach white room and strapped her down on a cool metal table.

"This is wrong! There is no cure! Wicked's just wasting money and time. You can't let them do this!" Sadie begged as the two went to work.

"I'm sorry Sadie, so sorry but we have to." Thomas urged flipping switches on a panel and lowering a helmet towards her head.

"No!" Sadie yelped struggling against her bindings even harder now. Teresa gripped her hand tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to Sadie over and over again as the helmet pressed against her skull. And then everything slowly faded into darkness.

Sadie's dream shifted quickly steam rolling into a new one. A worse one. Sadie was again running, but she was running straight towards the Maze. Girls on either side of her called out her name yanking on her arms to try and stop her but Sadie just plowed through them. She disappeared into the Maze right as the doors ground shut sealing off her only hope of escape. She ignored the grim thought and rushed forward skidding to a stop as a small limp looking figure came into view. Small sobs echoed off the walls as the huddled girl trembled. Sadie knelt by the girl and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"You need to get up." The girl lifted her head up to reveal a tall pale and freckled red head. The girl shook her head and started to shake even more. "You need to get up." Sadie repeated pulling the girl to her feet and dragging her out of the open pulling both of them into the dense ivy.

"You shouldn't have come." The girl whispered. "You shouldn't have come! Now we're both going to die." Sadie ignored the girl and pulled some gauze from her pocket quickly wrapping her friend's wounds, as their surroundings grew darker.

"No one's going to die." Sadie said soothingly focusing on her work. But as soon as the words were spoken a low and haunting moan echoed down the corridor. The hair-raising sounds of whirring blades and grinding metal rang out and Sadie felt her terror finally set in. "You need to climb those vines and hide. Understand? Get as close to the doors as you can." She instructed pulling herself to her feet.

"No! Where are you going?" The girl yelped climbing to her feet as well. Her friend looked terrible, bloody gashes and bruises were peppered all over her body and she looked exhausted her eyes wide and bloodshot and her limbs sagging in fear and weakness.

"I'm going to buy you some time Newbie." Sadie teased trying to sound upbeat as she prepared herself for what she knew she had to do.

"You can't do that! They'll kill you."

"As soon as I round the corner you need to start climbing. You need to stay here no matter what." Sadie instructed grabbing the girl by her shoulders and staring her straight in the eyes. "No matter what. You got that?" The girl nodded and Sadie let go with a relieved sigh.

"They're going to kill you." The girl whispered again tears streaking down her face, Sadie smiled sadly in response and gently ruffled her friend's ginger hair.

"Don't worry. It is me we're talking about after all." The girl let out a cracked chuckle and pulled Sadie into a tight hug. Sadie pulled away and felt her own eyes begin to water as the sounds of the Grievers grew closer and closer. "Stay here. And stay safe." Sadie said walking away, "And that's an order." Then she took off sprinting down the corridor and taking the path she knew would lead her and hopefully the Grievers as far away from her friend as possible. When she rounded another corner Sadie let out an earsplitting yell that echoed off the walls. She unhooked her knife and slammed it against the wall with a booming _Clang_.

"Come and get me you sorry ass Sticks!" She shouted again and again. It was working. The sounds of the Grievers had followed her and were gaining on her fast. Sadie turned and ran screaming and shouting the whole time. _Can't let them find her. Gotta distract them. Can't let them find her! _There were seven on her tail now all of them chasing her with surprising speed moaning and clicking disgustingly the whole time. _It's working! _Sadie thought letting out a whoop of triumph. _That's right you assholes take me instead. _She had almost made it to the cliff when the first Griever caught her. Sadie screamed in terror as a sharp mechanical arm plucked her off the ground by her torso and slammed her into a wall. The rest of the Grievers circled her, pushing in until her back was against the wall. _This is it. _Sadie thought as the first Griever pounced.

Excruciating pain sliced through Sadie's body as blades and needles tore into her skin slicing up her chest, stomach, and back. Sadie screamed and sobbed as more Grievers quickly joined in mauling her shoulders and back with their sharp appendages. Her vision was fading and Sadie knew she was dying. She'd never felt so much pain; it was so bad it made her wish for death. It made her pray that she would die soon. She saw flashes of silver and red. She could feel her own blood spilling from her body as the Grievers slashed her again and again, their blades ripped her apart slowly, as she cried and screamed. Sadie squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think of her friends in the Meadow tried to picture their faces. She refused to have her last image be of the Grievers.

And as Sadie's mind was beginning to fade she felt something move beneath her. As if small metallic arms were picking her up, the clicked underneath her like dozens of metal legs skittering on the ground. They carried her away and she could no longer feel the sharp pain of the Griever's needles. _Is this what dying feels like?_

Sadie shot up in bed her heart pounding and a small sob escaped from her mouth. She held her face in her hands and trembled. They were getting worse. It seemed like each nightmare was getting longer and were starting to become even more vivid than before. This one was the worst out of them all. She clambered out of bed and stumbled towards Teresa's watching her friend who was still in a deep coma. _What did you do to me? _Sadie thought balling her fist in frustration. Why is she remembering all of this? No one else seemed to remember anything, why her? Why her? She knew she should hate Teresa and Thomas now, or at least be suspicious but she couldn't. They were her friends, her best friends. _Then why did they capture me?_ Sadie shook the thought out of her head and tried to get Teresa to drink some water before quickly leaving the room. Her feet rattled the old and rotting stairs as she hurried down them and yanked open the door. She breathed in the smells of the Glade and tried to clear her head.

"They're just dreams Sadie." She said to herself even though she knew it was a lie. They were memories, she knew they were. She ran off and found Newt in his usual spot plopping down beside him and gently shaking him awake.

"Sadie?" He yawned pulling himself into a sitting position and rubbing at his sleep dazed eyes. "Is everything okay love?" Sadie shook her head in response frowned deeply. "C'mere." He whispered pulling her into his strong arms and laying his chin on her head. Sadie breathed in his reassuring smell and lay her head against his chest.

"They're getting worse Newt." She mumbled shifting out of their awkward embrace so that she was sat between his legs his arms circled around her. The feel of his chest pressed against her back slowly began to ease the stuttering of her heartbeat and the shaking of her hands.

"What happened in your dream?" He asked slipping his hand into hers, his other one tugging on her curls and wrapping loose strands around his index finger. She sighed and started tracing the lines in his palms.

"Don't really want to talk about it." She answered.

"It might make you feel better to talk about it Sadie." She snorted in reply and shook her head again. "Fine." He sighed "Let's talk about something else then since you're acting so bloody stubborn." Sadie chuckled and leaned her head back against his shoulder her cheek grazing his jaw.

"You can call me stubborn as much as you want, I'll only take it as a compliment."

"Of course you will. Knowing you you'd think me calling you a difficult and sarcastic smartass is a compliment too."

"I'll also take that as a compliment." Newt laughed this time and held her tighter. "I feel bad I keep waking you up. Have you gotten any sleep since I've showed up?" She asked turning to look at him. Sadie couldn't remember if she had ever been like this with another person. It all felt incredibly new. She wondered about her old life and whether there had been a guy like Newt in there somewhere. _One good thing about Wicked is that they brought me to the Gladers, and to Newt._

"Not really. But I wouldn't worry about it Tommy bugs me just as much as you do." They both snickered and Sadie gently elbowed him in the chest.

"Gee thanks Newt."

"Anytime love." He replied kissing her cheek.

"Tell me a story." She requested looking out into the Glade and listening to the sounds of sleeping Gladers and barn animals.

"Another one? Fine. But only because you're going to jail tomorrow."

"Oh right. I forgot about the Slammer."

"Yep you and Tommy have to stay in there tomorrow all day. Nothing to do but die of boredom." He replied the hint of a smirk in his voice.

"Sounds fun." Sadie snorted sarcastically imagining her and Thomas clanging metal cans against jail bars and scratching tally marks into the walls. Maybe she would try and talk to Thomas about her dreams. Maybe he'd been having some dreams of his own, Sadie hoped he did, hoped that she wasn't the only one. But above all she hoped Teresa would wake up soon. She had so many questions and for some reason she felt like they were all running out of time.


	12. The Slammer

"This is the Slammer." Newt announced waving his hand towards the small block shaped building that stood before them. It was bare, gray, and seemed to sag glumly with nothing but a heavy metal door and one barred window. "You two will be staying in here all day. Now yah know that if you break the rules this is what you get. You lot gotta learn -"

"We know_, order_." The two snapped in unison taking in the dingy room they'd be staying in for the day.

"That's right kids! And it keeps us all bugging alive. So have fun staring at the walls you two. You can start your Runner responsibilities tomorrow." Sadie narrowed her eyes and gave Newt withering glare. He just grinned in return.

Minho opened the rusty door with a loud and teeth-grinding screech and ushered them inside. Sadie let out an annoyed groan and followed Thomas into the Slammer taking in the rooms bare and dust covered walls and hard dirt floor. The only piece of furniture in the room was an old rickety looking chair that had one leg, which was obviously shorter than the rest. _Probably on purpose. _Sadie thought grudgingly. The Slammer was as bare and sad looking on the inside as it was on the outside.

"So we don't get shucking anything? Not even like a deck of cards or something?" She asked plopping down on the old chair while Thomas took the floor.

"Nope."

"Just think of it as a day off. You guys get to have one day without anything crazy or exciting happening." Chuck put in going for the optimistic outlook like always. Sadie and Thomas shared an un-convinced look and waved to their friends as the door slammed shut with a groan.

"Oh and Tommy?" Newt called his face popping into view. "Don't even think about trying anything with Sadie." He gave the two Gladers a warning look through the barred window as Sadie snickered to herself.

"Ew." Thomas muttered wrinkling his nose. "Don't have to worry about that man."

"I don't know if I should be relieved or offended." Sadie said punching Thomas in his shoulder.

"I'll come to let you two out tonight." Newt said giving Sadie a wink before ducking out of sight and leaving Thomas and Sadie alone to deal with their boredom. A half an hour ticked by at a snail's pace and had driven Sadie to take apart the one and only chair they had been given. The silence was slowly driving her crazy and with nothing to do but strip the legs off of the old chair Sadie knew she was going to lose it any second.

"Hey Sadie?"

"Oh thank god!" Sadie exclaimed in relief yanking the back of the chair out of place and tossing it behind her with a clatter. She grabbed Thomas by his shoulders and shook him roughly. "Now you talk? You need to talk more man! All you do is sit and brood or brood and sit. Stop brooding!" Thomas's eyes widened and he backed up a bit giving Sadie a quizzical look. "I don't enjoy silence." She supplied with a shrug returning to her dismemberment of the chair.

"I do not brood." Thomas argued stealing one of the chair's legs and tapping it aimlessly on the floor.

"You always brood man. Anyways continue please before I break something else." Thomas nodded in thought and broke the leg in two before continuing.

"I was just wondering… Can I ask you something?"

"Well you just did."

"_Sadie."_

"Fine fine. I'll be serious, go on." She sighed giving Thomas her full attention as he mulled over what he was going to say next.

"Do- do you think I'm evil Sadie?" He asked in a worried yet serious tone. Sadie blinked in surprise and looked Thomas up and down. He seemed to be on the verge of panic his hands were gripped tightly in his lap his back was hunched and tense while his forehead was beginning to drip with sweat.

"Evil? What are you talking about Thomas?" She asked scrunching her eyebrows in confusion. He sighed loudly and ran his hands through his hair.

"I mean just think about it. This place, it's like a prison right?"

"We talking about the Glade or the Slammer here?"

"The Glade smartass. What if we were sent here for a reason and what if it's because we all did something bad? What if somebody sent us here because we're all murderers or something?" Sadie mulled the idea over in her head. Sure she could see a creep like Winston being a homicidal killer but the others? Chuck, Newt, Minho? Thomas was giving her a pleading almost desperate look like he needed her to believe him.

"Look Thomas." Sadie said choosing her words carefully. "I don't know about us being murderers-"

"Everyone keeps saying they've seen me before. You, Gally, Ben, and even Alby. I don't know what's going on Sadie but I think it's my fault, all of it." Sadie's dream flashed through her mind again, Thomas and Teresa had done something to her in the dream. She could tell herself they were just dreams but she knew it would be a lie. Sadie's head swam and began to pound as she tried to connect the pieces.

"You know something." Thomas whispered locking eyes with Sadie. "I can tell you do Sadie so just spill it." Sadie let out a long sigh and pulled her legs to her chest. She knew she had to tell him, she just hoped it wouldn't worry him even more.

"I've been having these dreams… And you and Teresa were in them." Sadie mumbled her head splitting into a full-blown migraine. The dreams played in her head again the faces blurred and murky like she was watching it all play out through a foggy window.

"What dreams?" Sadie shook her head trying to get rid of the haunted faces of Teresa, Thomas, and the horrifying image of the Grievers. They cleared slightly after a second or two but Sadie still felt like her head was spinning like a top.

"I don't know Thomas. I don't know but I think you sent us here." She answered quietly. And then she told him everything, she told him about the Grievers, the rat man, the girls, everything. Thomas, thankfully, listened in silence only nodding now and then for her to continue.

"Alby said something about that. The Flare thing you mentioned he talked about it too."

"Alby? You talked to Alby, is he okay?" Sadie asked in concern remembering the screams of pain coming from the room next-door in Homestead. Was he already done with the Changing? Sadie shuddered at the thought; Alby's yells fresh in her mind. She could practically feel the blinding pain of the Changing herself. _It's like I've already gone through it. _She thought in horror.

"He's well… he isn't hurt. But he was acting crazy Sadie. He yelled at Newt and me he went through this seizure type trance and he said he knows who I am." Thomas said in a rush his eyes wide and bloodshot like he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep in weeks. "He nearly killed himself Sadie. It's like someone was controlling him and didn't want him to talk."

"What do you mean?"

"And Teresa talked in my head again." He continued ignoring Sadie's question as he plunged into the story of his telepathic chat with Teresa. " She said we did this to everyone, and if your dream is right then we did. And that means we sent everyone here. Sadie I'm no better than the Creators." Sadie took it all in silence for once. _Why were they sent here? Who were the girls in her dreams? And what is the Flare? _

"Thomas." Sadie started leaning forward to grip his forearms tightly. "Whatever we're here for, whatever it was you did. We can't change what happened but we can do something about it now. You are not evil, got that slinthead? We're Runners now man we can find a shucking way out of this place."

"Sadie?"

"What?"

"What do you thinks out there? Because Alby and Ben seemed scared as hell to leave the Glade. What if it's worse out there? Worse than the Grievers and the Maze?" Sadie paused and a sudden jolt of stubbornness and determination surged through her. _We have to find a way out. _She thought her mind racing back to her friends in her dreams and to the rat man that she so desperately wanted to punch in the face.

"There's only one way to find out." Thomas nodded in agreement and looked back at her. Sadie was relieved to see the look of desperation and worry gone from her friend's eyes. He looked as relieved and determined as she felt. Sadie wasn't the only one who was being haunted by her past, Thomas was in the same boat. She just hoped it wouldn't sink.

"You're right. Besides we need to get out of here. I promised him."

"Promised who what?" Sadie asked raising her eyebrows.

"I promised Chuck I'd get him back home."


	13. First Day Runner

"Get up Sadie." A gruff voice spoke in her ear followed by a nudge to her side. Sadie slowly peeled her eyes open and found Minho leaning over her shining an overly bright flashlight in her eyes.

"Jesus Minho! What is it with you boys and waking up early?" She demanded pulling herself to her feet. Sadie wouldn't admit it but she was glad Minho had woken her up; she had been going through a replay of her dreams from last night and was relieved when they ended.

"Here yah go Greenie. Breakfast." Minho said tossing Sadie an apple as they wandered off to go find Thomas. Sadie peered down at the fruit in distaste. _I hate apples._ She thought taking a bite into it's green skin because, hey food is food. She slowly rubbed the sleep from her eyes and jogged over to Minho her eyes scanning the Glade for any sign of Thomas.

They found him in a secluded area by the Deadheads. Sadie watched in amusement as Thomas sprang to his feet obviously as excited as she was for their first day.

"Morning shuckface." Thomas chirped messing Sadie's hair up as they followed Minho towards Homestead.

"Good morning shank." She answered receiving some annoyed glares from the sleeping Gladers they were weaving their way through. Minho led them to a small storage room pulling out a key and opening the door. He shined his flashlight around the room the light glinted off hanging chains and ropes. The beam landed on an open box of running shoes.

"The Creators send us so many shucking running shoes we don't even use half of them." He said leaning over and rifling through the box. "What size are you two?"

"Size? Dude I'm not even sure how old I am." Thomas answered leaning over to pull off his shoe. Sadie followed suit tugging off one of the brown and weathered combat boots she'd been wearing since her arrival in the Box. "I'm size eleven."

"I got six." She added as Minho checked the different shoes.

"Dang Thomas. You got big shucking feet." He exclaimed pulling out a pair of silver shoes and showing them off to the two. "We could use this sucker as a boat." Sadie laughed loudly and took the pair he found for her in excitement. They were sleek, black and incredibly light in her hands. _Jeez I have small feet. _She thought as her and Thomas sat down and pulled them on excitedly. "Here yah go. Only Runners and Keepers are allowed to get these." He said handing digital watches over to the pair. The watch was simple with a plain black wristband and a small face.

"Newt has one like this." She mumbled strapping it onto her wrist and looking up at Minho.

"Well he was a Runner Sadie."

"But he has a limp. Did he get it while he was a Runner?" Her curiosity spiking, she had asked multiple boys in the Glade. They all told her the same thing, that he had been a Runner then got injured, but no one ever went into any details. So naturally Sadie was dying to find out. Minho sighed and handed them both backpacks along with an extra t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

"Not my place to talk about it shank." He mumbled pulling out things from his own bag naming each in turn to change the subject. "And finally we have these for you Thomas." He said pulling out a pair of small shiny white underwear.

"What the shuck is that for?" Sadie yelped backing up slightly while Minho and Thomas snickered at her.

"We call them Runnie-undies, and they well yah know keep everything comfy?"

"What?" Sadie wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"Well you know, they-"

"Never mind. I don't wanna know." Sadie stated turning her attention back on her backpack as Minho and Thomas talked.

"So the Creators just sent you guys this stuff?" Thomas asked taking the underwear and backpack from Minho. "Like you can actually request stuff?"

"Yeah we just pop a note in the box. Sometimes we get what we ask for sometimes we don't."

"Well that's a relief. I'm probably going to need to request something pretty soon." Sadie interjected a her lips twitching up into a evil grin as she prepared to freak the two out in return.

"What do yah mean?" Thomas asked strapping his own watch on.

"Oh yah know girly things, to keep everything-"

"Don't wanna know! Please do not finish that sentence, I'm shucking begging you." Minho yelped slapping his hand over Sadie's mouth. Sadie pushed his hand away and smirked in satisfaction. _Men. _She thought grudgingly. She pulled the knife out of her bag and slowly unsheathed it.

"I didn't know you guys had weapons." Thomas mumbled pulling his backpack on.

"Shuck yeah we do. Come on I'll show you." He led them over to the corner of the room and moved a few boxes out of the way to reveal a trapdoor. "We keep them hidden in the basement so crazy shanks like Gally can't find 'em." He explained pulling up the door and clambering down an old ladder Thomas and Sadie on his heals. When they reached the floor Sadie couldn't see a thing in the pitch-black room, the sent of dust and mildew hung in the air as the coolness of the room pressed in on them. Minho stretched and pulled on a string turning a hanging bulb on that illuminated the room. It was surprisingly large but filled to the bursting point with all sorts of menacing looking tools.

"Wow." Thomas murmured as the two wandered around the room taking in the strange collection of knives, wooden poles, swords, and saws. There were even large bats that were wound tightly with barbed wire lying around.

"How come I never see anybody carrying any of this stuff?" Sadie asked picking up a long, wickedly sharp knife from one of the many piles.

"Probably because we don't use most of it." Minho answered, "All we usually carry is a couple of knives." Sadie held the blade in her hand and peered down at it curiously. It was about the length of her forearm with a comfortable leather grip and a glinting curved blade.

"Well that seems kind of stupid." She admitted placing the knife back on the pile gently.

"What's that supposed to mean slinthead?" Minho asked obviously annoyed.

"Well what's the point of having all this crap if you don't use it?" Sadie countered picking up a medieval looking sword. It all seemed so ridiculous to her. Why have weapons and never use most of them? Why not use them on the Grievers? It all seemed silly to her, like the answer was obvious. _I bet those girls used their weapons. _The thought sprung into her mind so quickly it made her drop the sword with a metallic clang.

"You okay Sadie?" Thomas asked resting a hand on her shoulder. Sadie's mind was spinning rapidly yet again. _This is really starting to piss me off. _Sadie thought messaging her temples in aggravation. She didn't know why the idea had startled her so much but she knew it was probably right… No she knew it was absolutely right. Images of herself and several other girls training with knives and weapons swirled in her head. _Stop_. She thought angrily willing her head to stop it's spinning and for the memories to go away. And like a movie the images blinked off.

"Sadie?" Minho asked in concern shaking her slightly as she broke out of her trance.

"Oh. I'm fine." Sadie mumbled trying her best for a reassuring smile. Her headache had finally disappeared along with the memory.

"Let's go pick up our lunches from Frypan and finish packing then we can swing by the Map Room later." She nodded and added a few more blades to her backpack before shouldering it.

"Here don't forget this one." Minho said handing her the blade she'd held previously the curved edge shinning in the light. "You can keep that one if you want shank, god knows we have plenty." Sadie muttered thanks and smiled down at the blade. Sure Minho was a pain in the ass but she couldn't help but feel their friendship growing as she smiled warmly at him.

Thirty minutes later they were packed, and well fed, on Sadie's orders of course. 'An apple doesn't count as breakfast!' And they had arrived at the Map Room. It was a squat concrete building with a heavy iron door that looked like it belonged on a submarine. Minho held the door open and waved them on inside.

"And this is the Map Room." In the room a large, round wooden table was in the exact center chairs tucked in around it and stacks of paper piled neatly on top of it. Large trunks lined the room's walls each one shut tightly.

"It smells like old pennies." Thomas muttered to Sadie as Minho motioned for them to take a seat at the table. Minho grabbed a sheet of paper and quickly sketched a map of the Glade numbering each Maze entrance and drawing each landmark. He explained the shifting walls and different sections of the Maze.

"We've been mapping this thing for two years and the only thing we've found is the Cliff. We think the walls move every night after the doors close. They move all over the shucking place." Sadie tried to imagine the large stonewalls moving but it seemed impossible.

"So you draw up maps of the Maze everyday then right?" Sadie asked the idea seemed right to her, it's how she would have done it anyway. "Because the walls move?"

"Yeah that's what these trunks are for." Minho replied walking over to one and hefting the lid open. The trunk was full of papers all stacked to the top in neat piles, labels identifying the Runner, day, and section in the corner of each map. "We've been keeping track of the Maze's movements since the beginning. We've tried to compare the changes every day, week, and month. And the Maze does repeat itself about every month but it hasn't done us much good. There's never been an exit." Sadie sorted through the trunk while Minho and Thomas talked. Well.. argued that is.

"Are you two done yet?" Sadie complained as they bickered. "We get the idea. No staying in the Maze overnight, draw some maps, run a lot, blah blah blah. Can we go now?" The two blinked in surprise while Sadie gingerly put the maps back in the trunk.

"Yeah. Let's go runnin'."

Minho led them through the West Door towards Section Eight. Sadie fell into a fast pace her feet thumping against the hard ground as the trio sprinted down the Maze corridors. Sadie felt herself smile widely, the quick beating of her heart and footsteps echoed throughout her body pumping her with adrenaline from the end of her hair to the tips of her toes. It was exhilarating and almost nostalgic to Sadie, like she'd been doing it for years. The pain she felt in her lungs and her calves were familiar and she practically welcomed them. Running was like an old friend to her. As they ran Minho explained the Runner duties to them pausing only once to pull out his knife and slash a chunk of ivy out of the wall.

"Why'd you do that?" Thomas panted as they continued to sprint.

"Helps me keep track of where we're going. Just in case man." Minho huffed in reply.

"Like bread crumbs?"

"Like bread crumbs." He repeated chancing a glance over his shoulder at the two Newbies. "I'll be Hansel you can be Gretel Thomas." He added cutting into the ivy again as they rounded the corner.

"What does that make me then?" Sadie asked her arms pumping at her sides as she ran.

"The witch."

"Ha ha ha you're freaking hilarious." They continued to run Thomas and Sadie taking turns when cutting the ivy, they finally began to get the hang of it after their tenth or eleventh try. The whole time they peppered Minho with questions, asking about everything from the Griever him and Alby had found to the movements of the walls. They had breaks now and then but after running for two hours Sadie could understand why the Runners always looked so tired.

"Anything different today?" Thomas asked when they finally stopped for lunch.

"Nope, Nothin' to get shucking excited about." Minho answered as a beetle blade scuttled on the wall overhead. Sadie watched the metal bug scuttle through the ivy and over the wall it's black eyes glinting in the sunlight.

"What's with the beetle blades? And why does it say _Wicked_ on their backs?" Thomas asked pulling himself to his feet and walking along the walls.

"I dunno man we've never been able to catch them. The only thing we can think of is that the Creators use them to spy on us. The little shits."

"Who are the Creators?" Thomas questioned as Sadie bit into her sandwich hungrily the same question rolling around in her own head. Minho rolled his eyes but his face seemed to darken slightly.

"We don't know jack about them. But I swear as soon as I get my hands on them I'll-"

"What's that?" Sadie interrupted her eyes catching sight of something glinting beneath the walls dense ivy. Sadie stood up and tugged the ivy aside revealing a large metal plaque that was attached to the wall, large letters stamped on it's face.

"Oh, that thing." Minho replied indifferently shrugging as Thomas looked over Sadie's shoulder in curiosity.

"World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department." Thomas read aloud. "What's that mean?"

"Man I don't know dude they're all over the shucking place." The words sent chills down Sadie's spine the mention of Catastrophe, Killzone, and Experiment seemed to dampen the air with a sinister mood. "Come on Greenies lets get a move on." Minho finally said breaking them away from the plaque.

Another hour later the trio had arrived at a dead end and had started their journey back to the Glade. The rest of the trip passed in a blur as they made their way back to the Map Room where they spent the rest of the day learning how to sketch maps until the doors closed.

"Dang Sadie have you done this before?" Minho asked picking up her map and examining it in the light. Sadie shrugged in response and tugged it out of his hand adding a few more strokes to it before setting it down in the Section Eight trunk. _Maybe. _She thought closing the lid with a thud.

Sadie and Thomas finally got to leave the Map Room in search of some food. Thomas seemed disappointed in the day and Sadie could relate. She'd kind of expected everything to either go up in flames or for them to find some hidden exit. She was taken completely by surprise when it turned out to be a normal day. Well as normal of a day you could have in the Glade.

"Would you look at this!" Sadie exclaimed raising her arms in emphasis as she walked into the room where Newt was currently hunched over a map of the Maze. "I'm still in one piece! Isn't that shucking amazing?" Sadie knew it probably wasn't nice to gloat but she loved saying 'I told you so'.

"Well I'm bloody relieved." Newt chuckled standing up and pulling Sadie into a warm embrace. "How was it?"

"Nothing new, or exciting. And yet I'm still shucking exhausted." She replied resting her head in the crook of his neck. Sadie was so tired she felt like she could have fallen asleep then and there. Newt kissed her forehead and chuckled.

"Come on love let's go." They walked out of the room and made their way up to Sadie's room. She attempted to feed Teresa again. Teresa had been mumbling in her sleep non-stop lately and Sadie couldn't help but wonder if she was having weird dreams too. When she'd gotten as much food into her as she could Sadie set the bowl down and tucked the covers around her friend carefully. _Please wake up soon. I don't know what's going on Teresa. There has to be a way out of here right? _

"Do you think she'll wake up soon?" Sadie sighed her legs aching and eyes tired. Newt gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on Sadie's head.

"I don't know Sadie. Soon I think. But there's no way to tell." Sadie nodded and laced her fingers with his, her palms resting against his rough knuckles.

"I don't get any of this Newt. What's going on? Why did they send us here? And how do we get out of the Maze?"


	14. The Griever Hole

A soft knock sounded from the doorway startling Sadie out of her sleepy daze. She had been so close to falling asleep. Sadie groaned quietly and nuzzled her head deeper into Newt's shoulder praying that whoever it was would just go away. A few seconds passed before the person knocked again louder this time. _Whoevers knocking at _Sadie checked her watch, _one o'clock in the freaking morning better have a good shucking reason. _Sadie thought moodily gently removing her self from Newt's side and tiptoeing across the room. She pulled the door open just wide enough for her to stick her head out her eyes narrowed in a deep glare.

"Hey Sadie." The person whispered, he was short, chubby and had curly hair that framed his boyish face.

"Chuck?" Sadie whispered all grumpiness from before fading instantly at the sight of the younger boy. He smiled at her but it didn't quite reach his eyes. _Something's wrong. _"You okay Chucky?"

"Yeah I was just wondering- I just… wanted to talk to you for a sec."

"Oh? Yeah okay we can talk outside." Sadie answered shutting the door behind her and following Chuck down the rotting stairs. The night was cool and breezy and Sadie was starting to wish she'd brought a jacket. "So what did you want to talk about?" She asked him taking a seat on the front steps of the Homestead and patting the space next to her.

"Did Thomas tell you about the promise he made me?" Chuck asked his tone somber and serious.

"His promise to get you out of here? Yeah he did."

"He said he'd find my mom." Chuck mumbled taking his seat next to her, his eyes focused on the ground. "Do you think she's alive Sadie? Do you think she remembers me?" Sadie blinked in shock she was both surprised and touched that he had come to her to talk about this. She thought about it for a second pursing her lips as different answers and scenarios ran through her mind. What if Chuck's mom wasn't alive anymore? What if none of their moms were alive? Sadie had never stopped to think about it, sure she'd wondered now and then about her family but she'd never really given it much thought. It hurt too much.

"Of course she remembers you Chuck. I bet she's thinking about you right now. " Sadie answered carefully and stared down at her clasped hands, _You aren't lying you're just… guessing. Just making an educated guess. _

"Do you really think so?" Chuck asked his voice cracking slightly. Sadie sighed and put her arm around the boys shoulder. _This isn't fair. Chuck should be with his mom; he should be in school, growing up, and finding his place in the world. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be in this shucking mess. It's not fair. _

"I know so. I bet all of our moms are out there. Wishing they were with us, our dads too." Sadie reassured him.

"Do you think I had a dad? And brothers and sisters?" Chuck asked whipping his face with his sleeve. Sadie tucked a curl behind her ear and felt her lips fall into a frown.

"I don't know." Sadie admitted hugging the boy tighter. "But I'll tell you what, I'll be your big sister and Thomas can be your big brother. Just because we're here doesn't mean we can't have our own family." Sadie mumbled her eyes wandering up to look at the stars. "We're all one big family Chuck. I'll be your sister, Minho can be our weird and annoying cousin, Thomas will be our brother, Alby can be the grumpy old grandpa and Winston can be the creepy uncle. Every single Glader is a part of our family. Our big, messed up family." Sadie finished her and Chuck breaking into a fit of laughter. Sadie wiped away a few tears that streaked his chubby cheeks and Chuck's smile widened.

"You're a good sister." Chuck said pulling himself to his feet. Sadie grinned and climbed to her feet giving Chuck one last hug and a wave before heading back inside. Sadie knew she couldn't give Chuck an honest answer about his real family, but the least she could do was give him a new family.

She plopped back into her chair and curled up against Newt's arm. _Guess I have a little brother now. _Sadie thought as she drifted off a small smile pulling at her lips.

* * *

"Do you ever shut up?" A girl demanded pacing angrily in front of Sadie her auburn hair swishing from side to side. She was a tall girl, almost a foot taller than Sadie with small blue eyes and a face that would have been pretty if it wasn't set in a permanent scowl.

"You know I'm right Amy." Sadie sighed crossing her arms stubbornly as she watched the girl pace before her. The girl paused briefly and glared daggers at her.

"No. You _think _you're right." The girl, Amy, growled back before stalking off.

"Amy!" Sadie called after her jogging to keep up with the taller girl's long strides. "I am right. We can't just wait here and hang around like sitting ducks. We've gotta do something! We've gotta-"

"Give it a rest Sadie." She complained as the two padded through a thick grass meadow and towards an abandoned looking house. A few more girls were walking around most of them carrying building supplies and planks of wood, but all of them swerved to avoid the two arguing girls.

"We need to get out here, if you'd just let me and a few of the girls search the Maze then maybe-"

"We've been here for a month Sadie. A freaking month. There're only nine of us out here and we've already lost two. Do you honestly want to lose any more?" Amy demanded coming to a sudden stop outside of the house.

"We didn't know what was going on then."

"We still don't know what's going on!" Amy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She couldn't have been older than seventeen but Amy's face looked like it had aged considerably. Her eyes were weary and her frown was deep. "You know better than anyone what's out there Sadie. We can't send anyone else out there especially you. We need you here to help get everything together. We need to survive."

"We need to find a way out." Sadie argued gripping the girl by her forearms. Sadie knew it was dangerous; they'd already lost Cleo and Tori in the Maze. And to add on progress in the Meadow was slow. Building supplies and food arrived once a week but it was still a challenge to get everything organized. A few fights between the girls had broken out, and Amy was just barely beginning to establish some order.

"Sadie, what if there is no way out?"

"There has to be." Sadie answered automatically. " They wouldn't stick us in a Maze if there wasn't a way out." The older girl sighed again and rubbed her face in exhaustion. Amy had been their leader since the beginning. She'd been in charge of ten girls then eleven when another one showed up. Sadie could tell it was already wearing her down.

"Sadie-"

"No. Amy you need to listen to me. We can do this we can find a way out. I'll go into the Maze with someone else at first; we'll just look around search for some answers. Once we get the hang of it we can send more girls out. It's the only way." Sadie insisted watching the girl as she thought it over carefully.

"Fine. But only you and one other person for now. We can't risk losing anyone else. And you better not take any stupid chances, you here me?" Amy demanded. Sadie smiled and hugged her friend tightly.

"Yes sir!" She responded giving the girl a mocking salute. Amy rolled her eyes shaking her head at the younger girl that she just _had _to be friends with.

"Why couldn't you be a Planter like the other sticks?"

"Oh come on Amy you know me. I need a little excitement in my life." Sadie replied punching the girl's shoulder lightly.

"Just try not to get killed."

* * *

Newt woke up to a weird and unnatural light filtering through the room's window. He yawned widely and rubbed the sleep from his eyes and scanned the room in confusion. _This isn't right._ He thought checking his watch. They were an hour late but the sun should have woken him up like it usually did. Sadie shifted slightly mumbling in her sleep like she always did. Newt thought it was cute but he knew Sadie would probably be embarrassed if he mentioned it. Or if he mentioned the fact that she snored a bit. Newt lifted Sadie's head off of his shoulder and tried to quietly get out of his chair and check the window.

But what he saw made him completely forget about being quiet. "Bloody hell. Sadie!" Newt yelped rushing over to her and shaking her awake.

"Wha- What's going on?" Sadie groaned trying curl back into a ball. _What a morning person. _

"Sadie!" Newt hissed pulling her out of the chair and shaking her again. "The sun's shucking gone." That woke her up. Sadie's brown eyes snapped open and gave him an incredulous look.

"What?"

"C'mon." He dragged the still half asleep girl down the stairs and out of Homestead. A large group of Gladers was crowded around the Box everyone yelling and shouting in confusion. All of them gawking and pointing at the sky. _The sky._

It was no longer blue and not a single cloud dotted it's surface instead it had become a bleak and lifeless gray that was emitting a strange hazy glow. It almost looked like one huge ceiling.

"Newt!" A voice called out from the group of Gladers. "What's going on?" Thomas appeared from the crowd Chuck on his heels. He looked about as confused as Newt felt, and he had no idea what was happening.

"Sadie! Thomas! Where have you two shanks been?" Minho shouted jogging towards their small group and tossing a pair of backpacks to the two. "We need to get going. We're already late." Sadie nodded and pulled out her running shoes, Thomas following her lead.

"You mean you're still going out there?" Chuck asked in surprise. Newt had to admit he wasn't happy about sending the three out at a time like this. But they needed some answers, and fast.

"That's right shank. This just raises the stakes a bit." Thomas and Sadie finished strapping their packs on, Sadie pulling out a long knife and tying it around her thigh.

"A bit?" Newt asked raising his eyebrows. That was an understatement. Not only was the bloody sun gone but the plants and animals wouldn't last long.

"We're ready." Sadie interrupted giving Newt a small worried smile. Newt nodded and pulled her in for a quick hug and gave her forehead a small kiss right where her eyebrows creased when she was worried.

"Okay lovebirds we need to go." Minho announced tossing an apple to Sadie and Thomas before jogging off the two following close behind.

"Ah crap not another apple." Sadie complained as they ran off into the Maze under the dull and colorless sky.

* * *

They'd made it around two corners before they ran into their first Griever. Minho skidded to a sudden stop grabbing Sadie and Thomas by their shirts and yanking them around the corner before they could go plowing directly into it's path.

"There's a shucking Griever." He hissed motioning for them to keep quiet as he peered around the corner. Sadie couldn't hear the usual clicking and groaning, but that didn't do anything to slow the thumping of her heart. "It's just sitting there. It looks like the dead one I found."

"What the hell do we do?" Thomas whispered back the three of them sneaking a peek at the Griever. It did look dead. The usual glow of it's eyes was gone, the arms and needles that stuck out from it's body were sagging slightly, and it's slug like body looked like it was melting into the ground like an ice cream scoop. Sadie's stomach gurgled in protest at the idea. Minho looked around the corner again and reeled back in shock.

"Holy crap- it's gone! We need to follow it!" And with that Minho ran off Sadie and Thomas scrambling into action and sprinting to keep up with the Glader. They paused at every turn and waited silently as Minho scoped out each corner. Every single time they looked the Griever was always rounding the next corner leaving a trail of slime for them to follow. They continued to run after it keeping a safe distance as the thing rolled along.

When they finally came to one long corridor Sadie had a pretty good guess about where the Griever was going. When they rounded the last corner Minho made another sudden stop and Sadie plowed right into his back before she could stop herself.

"_Sadie!"_ Minho growled straightening her with a glare.

"You couldn't give a girl a warning?" She hissed back looking over his shoulder as the Griever continued to roll away from them, and straight towards the cliff.

"What's it doing?" Thomas whispered as it barreled towards the open expanse of gray, kicking up dirt and shredded ivy as it's arms tore into the ground. They all watched with gaping mouths as it hurled itself over the edge without pause and was swallowed by the lifeless sky.

"What the-?" Sadie whispered walking out from behind the wall and towards the cliff. It disappeared just like the others, no crash or plummeting moan. Nothing. Sadie couldn't even see the bottom, the cliff just opened up towards an abyss of gray.

"Sadie, you were supposed to wait for my say so." Minho growled stalking towards her.

"Where did it go?" She asked looking over the Cliff and shifting closer towards the edge.

"Hey, let's not go near the Cliff." Minho answered roughly. Pulling her away from the edge.

"Something's up. It just disappeared."

"You can say that again. Same thing happened to the other Grievers, and the dead one I found came rolling this way after it freaked out and attacked Alby." Minho pointed out towards the empty sky, "That settles it, the Grievers must be able to leave the Maze. It's shucking crazy and shouldn't be possible, but then again neither should the sun disappearing."

"But if the can leave- then maybe _we _could too." Thomas added excitedly. Sadie peered over the edge and felt a small spark of hope. _Is it possible? Did we really find a way out?_

"First thing's first, we need to figure this shit out." Minho said ducking down and gathering rocks. Sadie and Thomas helped him find as many rocks as they could until they had a sufficient pile near the edge of the Cliff. They took a seat their feet dangling over the edge. "Okay we need to take some damn good notes and memorize everything that happens in our shucking heads. Got that? I don't want to be wrong when the first sorry shank tries to jump into it."

"Shouldn't the sorry shank be the Keeper of the Runners?" Thomas joked as Sadie picked up a small rounded rock.

"Maybe Thomas, maybe. We'll worry about that later for now let's just try throwing some rocks through this magic exit." They each took turns tossing one rock after another in around twelve foot rows. They continued moving towards the right of the Maze each rock falling over the Cliff. When they had already covered almost half of the left side Sadie was starting to become discouraged as each and every rock fell.

Sadie was sure that they'd been wrong until Minho tossed one more rock that disappeared. Sadie blinked in surprise, it had happened so fast. The chunk of rock had sailed from Minho's hand toward the direct center of the cliff and had begun to fall before vanishing. It drifted through the gray sky like it had been throw through the surface of a murky lake.

"How is this possible? We've tried throwing klunk over the Cliff before. Nothing ever vanished. Never." Minho muttered picking up another rock.

"Try again." Thomas instructed grabbing a rock himself. Minho threw the new one towards the exact same spot and yet again it disappeared. They all started throwing rocks into the small exit with a renewed excitement each and every rock vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"No wonder we missed it. It's kinda small." Minho mumbled scribbling down dimensions and notes while Sadie and Thomas tried to find the exact edge of the exit.

"The Griever's must just barely squeeze through it. I could make that jump from here, if I can do it I'm sure the Grievers can." Thomas speculated as Sadie tried to burn the small area into her memory.

"What is this man? What are we looking at?"

"I don't know dude. It must be some kind of optical illusion or hologram that's hiding the exit. This place is messed up." Thomas answered looking over the edge in wonder.

"And kinda cool." Sadie admitted helping Minho sketch a rough diagram of the vanishing space.

"More jacked up than cool if you ask me." Minho grunted climbing to his feet and tugging on his backpack. "We better get back and tell Newt and Alby. See if anything else happened while we were gone."

"Yeah, good idea." Thomas mumbled, Sadie nodded in agreement and hauled herself to her feet.

"You two helped find it. One of you should name it." Sadie shrugged and nodded her head towards Thomas.

"The Griever Hole?" Despite the amazing find of the new exit and the increase in pressure to escape Sadie couldn't help but snicker.

"You boys have such an imagination when it comes to names."

The rest of the day passed quickly, even though they were all excited to get back and tell Newt and Alby what they had found they still had a job to do. When they had finally finished for the day and had drawn up their maps they set out to find Alby and Newt. It didn't take them long; it looked like the two leaders were looking for them too.

"Hey Alby we were just-"

"Hurry up and spill it. Did you find anything this time? Anything?" Alby demanded causing Minho to noticeably recoil at the Glader's outburst.

"Yeah, we _actually_ did find something." Minho replied.

"Great, that's just shucking great. Everything's going to shit here." Alby growled giving Thomas a nasty glare that could have turned someone to stone.

"Why? What happened?" Sadie asked slightly disappointed that they weren't as excited about their new find.

"Bloody supplies didn't come today." Newt answered nodding towards the box that was opened but empty. "It's been coming the same time every week for two years. But not this time."

_Oh shit. _Sadie thought her panic beginning to swell. Without any supplies they were screwed. And they were definitely screwed now that the freaking sun was gone.

"And we're shucked." Minho whispered sending another wave of worry crashing through Sadie. If Minho thought they were shucked then they really _did _have a lot to worry about.

"Well yeah, we've got no sun for the plants and no bloody supplies- I'd say we're definitely shucked now." Newt said voicing all of their worries.

"Anyways, we found something weird." Minho interjected gearing up to tell the two about the Griever Hole.

"What?" Newt asked raising his eyebrows. It took him awhile to tell the whole story, starting at the beginning when they found the Griever. Sadie and Thomas added in details along the way.

"We think it's where the Grievers- well, live yah know?" He finished "We know it's hard to believe but it's shucking true." Newt frowned and shook his head in confusion.

"No kidding huh? Well I got to bloody see that for myself."

"Do you think we can block off the hole somehow? Trap them inside?" Thomas asked looking at each Glader. Sadie shook her head.

"No, they can climb remember?" Sadie answered remembering all to well. "We wouldn't be able to build anything big enough to keep them out."

Sadie was about to suggest the obvious. Or what she felt was obvious. They had to go into the Griever Hole. But before she could say anything shouting could be heard from outside of the Homestead.

"For shuck's sake what happened now?" Alby shouted. A large group of guys was gathered around the front steps each of them shouting over one another. Chuck was one of them and ran over his face bright and excited.

"What happened?" Newt asked

"She's awake!" Chuck crowed hoping up and down. "The girl's awake!"


	15. Teresa

Thomas let out a strangled gasp and had to grab onto Sadie's shoulder for balance.

"Thomas! Thomas are you okay?" Sadie asked watching as he clutched his head in frustration and swayed on the spot. He griped Sadie's shoulders his eyes wide and almost crazed. _She's talking in his head again. _

"Sadie I need to talk to you!"

"But what about-"

"C'mon Sadie!" Thomas grunted grabbing her arm and breaking into a run. Sadie had no choice but to stumble and sprint after him Newt and the others calling after them. He guided them through the Deadheads, scraggly branches and tree limbs whipped by them as they ran. All of them reaching out like a pair of grasping and gnarled hands. When they had finally reached the small forest area behind the Deadheads he stopped, plopped on the ground and held his head in his hands.

'Thomas what's going on?" Sadie whispered kneeling next the Glader. "What about Teresa? She's still back there." Thomas groaned and shook his head slightly before looking up at her with a worried and pained glance.

"She's in my head again Sadie. She keeps talking in my shuck head." He blurted his eyes skirting the forest around them nervously. Sadie couldn't blame him; she too had the odd feeling that someone was watching them. Sadie peered over her shoulder anxiously but saw nothing.

"What- what did she say?" She asked focusing her attention back on him. Still unable to shake the feeling, Sadie pulled out her Runner's knife and gripped it firmly by her side.

"I don't know. She- she just keeps saying these things about _triggering _something. Her memory's fading but she remembers me. And then she said that the Maze is a code." Shudders traveled up her spine and the hair on the back of Sadie's neck stood on end. _The Maze is a code? _Sadie could feel her head beginning to spin now as blank memories tried to piece themselves together. It felt so familiar. She could almost touch it she could almost see it. But the puzzle pieces were messed up and confusing like someone had scribbled out their pictures.

"Did she say anything else?" Sadie asked, trying to keep Thomas talking. But before Thomas could answer a twig snapped behind them. Sadie jumped to her feet and whirled around her knife lashing out. Their intruder let out a surprised yelp and backed up their arms raised in surrender.

"It's me! It's just me." She gasped. "It's me Teresa." Sadie blinked in shock and dropped her knife-wielding arm to her side where it hung limply.

"Teresa?"

"Sadie?" The girl surged forward and pulled Sadie into a tight hug. "Oh thank god." _So she is awake. _It was weird seeing her friend up and walking again it had almost become routine for Sadie to check on her coma-induced state after a day of working in the Glade. Teresa let go of Sadie hurriedly and turned towards Thomas her blue eyes wide and very much alive now that she was no longer in a coma or spouting out bizarre warnings and messages. "_Forgetting about you was the worst part_." She whispered to him. Sadie shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, she suddenly felt like she was intruding on what was meant to be a private reunion.

"You remember me?" Thomas asked looking up at her. Teresa sighed and sat down on the ground in front of him patting the seat next to her for Sadie.

"I think so… I just can't- can't explain it." She answered throwing her arms up in frustration. "It's like I'm watching a movie that I've seen before and I recognize all the characters but I just can't remember their faces, their names, or any of the places in the movie… or- god this isn't making any sense is it?" Sadie frowned and gave Teresa a sympathetic look remembering how confused she was on her first day, and how confused she _still _felt.

"How do you know me though?"

"I don't know. I think I knew you guys before they sent us into the Maze. It's all so screwed up right now Tom. I just know you two are my friends." Sadie's mind flashed back to her dreams she could almost feel the cold metal of the helmet being placed on her head again, she shuddered and shook her head. _It doesn't matter. They're both here and they're both my friends. _Sadie instructed herself giving Teresa a small nod and clapping a hand down on her friend's shoulder giving her and Thomas a small smile. Thomas leaned forward and shook Teresa's smaller hand in his large one.

"I like that you call me Tom." Sadie and Teresa shared a look and snickered. _Oh Thomas you need to work on your game. _Sadie thought while Teresa rolled her eyes. They spent the next couple of minutes catching up; well… as much as three teens with memory loss could catch up on anyways. It was slow and frustrating work, Teresa remembered about as much as they did which wasn't saying a lot. And neither of the two could explain how they were telepathic.

"There you guys are!" Alby shouted suddenly running into the forest, a few guys falling in behind him. Alby looked even more pissed off and bad tempered than before, if that was even possible. "How did you get out? The shucking Med-Jack said you were there one second and gone the next." Alby questioned giving Teresa a dirty and suspicious look.

"He must have forgotten to mention the fact that I kneed him in the groin and climbed out the window." Teresa stated climbing to her feet. Alby turned and gave one of the boys in his group a disgusted look while Sadie and Teresa snuck in a quick high-five.

"This is all bullshit, I want to know who you are." Alby said jabbing a finger in Thomas's chest. "And who this shank girl is!" Sadie stepped forward instinctively.

"Alby, Teresa and Thomas are-"

"Teresa? Oh so you know her name now?" Alby demanded turning his burning gaze on her. Sadie furrowed her brow and squared her jaw stubbornly.

"Well I came up with her in the shucking Box didn't I? Of course I know her freaking name." Sadie retorted fiercly, her protective mode kicking in. Even if Teresa was awake Sadie was still the girl hovering over her. Blocking out storms like an umbrella.

"And you didn't care to mention it to anyone? What is wrong with you Sadie!" Sadie shrunk back slightly from Alby. "We don't have time for this klunk, get the girl and put her in the Slammer 'til we figure out what to do with her." Alby ordered waving the guys behind him forward.

"Wait what? Alby what are you doing?" Sadie asked her and Thomas stepping in front of Teresa protectively.

"What the shuck does it look like I'm doing."

"What's your problem Alby?" Thomas yelled angrily. "Yeah we know her and she knows us but she can't remember anything and neither can we!" _I can. _Sadie thought guiltily looking up at Alby. _And you remember too. _Alby stepped forward his face a mask of rage.

"You better get outa the way Greenies."

"You can't just put her in jail for no reason. You didn't put me in the Slammer when I got here." Sadie fired back her own temper beginning to build. Alby shook his head in frustration and reached out towards her snatching Sadie's right wrist in a firm grip.

"Drop the knife shank." He ordered his voice low and dangerous. Sadie jerked back in surprise. She hadn't realized she was still holding her knife. She gave Alby a confused look but still refused to drop the knife. "You were a different story _girl." _Alby spat out like an insult. His hand tightened around her wrist.

"No I'm not Alby." Sadie growled wrenching away from his grasp. "She didn't do anything!"

"You know exactly what _they _did Sadie!" Alby answered back in a voice so low no one else but Sadie could have heard it. Alby's dark eyes met hers they were angry, fiery, and terrified. "You know what they did." He repeated almost pleading with her to admit it. "I saw you there, they did this to us. To all of us, they sent us to this hellhole. You were on our side! You know!" Sadie felt like a cornered animal, she could feel everyone's eyes watching them as Alby's eyes seared hers. His expression practically begged her to give him some comfort, to try and ease some of his own confusion. But how was Sadie supposed to do that when she was just as scared and just as confused? _I do know. I do. But it's not their fault. _Sadie wanted to scream; she couldn't let them lock Teresa up. _Newt? Newt, where's Newt? _Sadie thought her eyes searching the gang of boys but none of them looked familiar. And then Sadie's mind spun out of control again.

* * *

"Come on Sadie just sit down." Teresa pleaded plopping onto the edge of a bunk bed. Sadie was younger now, the oldest she could have been at the moment was thirteen but she felt so much older. She wasn't a child anymore, which meant she was old enough to think for herself.

"This is wrong Teresa. This is so freaking wrong!" Sadie yelled pacing back in forth in the small room they shared. "We can't go through with this. We can't help them make this- this death trap!"

"They'll kill us if we don't." Teresa whispered giving Sadie a hard look, she had to grow up too fast, they all did. _How can you just sit there! We're no better than killers, we're monsters! _Sadie felt hot angry tears streaming down her face, they were turning them into killers forcing them to use their intelligence for something evil, something _wicked. _

"I won't let them make me! They can't control me!" Sadie screamed whirling on her best friend.

"We don't have any say in it." Teresa reminded her hugging her knees to her chest as her eyes darted back and forth following Sadie while she paced angrily. Sadie stopped and wiped at her face furiously. Sadie looked around their small living quarters desperately; it was a small square room with plain white walls. It contained nothing but a bunk bed and two armchairs, leaving the girls to do nothing but be consumed by their thoughts. _They probably did that on purpose_. She continued to scan the room until her eyes landed on a small air-conditioning vent.

"Well I do now." Sadie stomped towards the vent yanking an armchair after her. She propped it against the wall and clambered up tugging the vent's face out of the wall.

"They'll catch you." Teresa commented walking towards her friend and steadying the chair for her.

"Oh please, they're too busy wasting humanity's resources on cruel experiments to bother buying any security camera's. Plus they don't think we're crazy enough to try and escape." Sadie responded inspecting the vent. It was just large enough for her to be able to wiggle through. The only question was; what would she do once she got out?

"That's because it is crazy." Teresa interjected, helping her friend gather any clothes and supplies they could find.

"Then why aren't you stopping me?" Sadie asked raising her eyebrows as she stuffed all of the clothes into a bed sheet. Teresa shrugged and gave Sadie a small, sad smile.

"I guess I'm just afraid that you might be right."

"I am right Teresa."

"What if they find a cure Sadie? What if they're right?" Sadie shook her head stubbornly and tossed her makeshift bag into the air duct.

"They're evil. Now hurry up and get your stuff we need to go."

"I'm not coming with you Sadie." Teresa whispered. Sadie's heart wrenched painfully her head snapping down to look at her best friend, one of the few people that she could actually call family. "I can't leave Thomas Sadie. I can't. And I think they can do it, I think they can find a cure." Sadie climbed off the chair and hugged her friend tightly more tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Goodbye Teresa." Sadie mumbled pulling away and clambering towards the vent before she could loose her nerve. The duct was a tight squeeze, but Sadie would still be able to wriggle her way through it. She'd have to live on her own, find some transportation and get out of here fast. Where there any trains or buses left out in the aftermath of the Flare? Sadie gripped the inside of the vent her fingers already numbing from the cold air blowing out. "Are you sure?" She called from behind her not daring to look back.

"I'm sure Sadie. We have to trust them. _Wicked_ is good Sadie. _Wicked_ is good."

* * *

Sadie snapped back into focus she gasped loudly as the memory disappeared from her mind like smoke. Everyone was still watching her closely and Alby still looked pissed as hell.

"You do know don't you?" And then Sadie made the mistake of nodding. "Alright take the girl boys."

"No!" Sadie yelped slapping her palms against Alby's chest and sending him stumbling backwards. She didn't care. She didn't care if they sent her here she didn't care if they helped the Creators. And Sadie certainly didn't care that she had run away and left Teresa in the past, because she would protect her now.

"Sadie!" A new voice called out stepping between her and Alby.

"Newt?"

"Sadie do you know what time it is?" He asked his voice tense and gravelly. Sadie looked from him to Thomas in confusion. Stunned by the break in the heated argument. Thomas was the first one to look down at his watch. His eyes widened in horror.

"What? What's wrong?"

"The doors aren't closing Sadie."


	16. Down the Rabbit Hole Again

"I want this shank girl locked up now!" Alby ordered waving two sturdy looking boys in Teresa's direction. Sadie and Thomas cried out in protest as the two Gladers stepped forward and grabbed Teresa's arms.

"Alby!" Sadie shouted in frustration her mind still buzzing with fear at the thought of the Maze doors staying open. Teresa was right everything was changing. And for some reason Sadie couldn't shake the feeling that all three of them had triggered it.

"One more word out of you." Alby warned whirling on Sadie. "And I'll send you into the Slammer with her!"

"Fine."

"Sadie!" Newt barked giving her an incredulous look. "We aren't going to lock you up." Sadie shook her head and stepped forward handing her knife over to Alby her eyes never wavering from his steely gaze.

"I came in the shucking Box with her. Why not lock me up? Huh Alby? This isn't our fault. Throwing us in the Slammer won't prove anything except that you're wrong." She challenged a determined light dancing in her eyes. Alby watched her carefully, she could tell he was still angry and bad tempered and a small part of her wondered if it was because of the Changing. What if Alby had gone as crazy as Gally? She tried to shake the thoughts like pesky flies. Alby was their leader, if they couldn't count on him to do the right thing, then they were already dead. Alby held the knife tightly in his hand his face pulled into a pensive frown. The Glader sighed shook his head.

"Fine, I trust you Sadie." Alby said taking Sadie completely off guard. Alby handed her knife back and gave Newt a curt nod. "Take your girlfriend to the Slammer later, I don't want any other Glader getting his ass kicked by a shucking girl. And she probably won't do that with you. Probably. But I want her, Minho, and Thomas to plan some things out before hand." Before Newt could protest the matter Alby raised his hand in warning. "The doors aren't closing Newt. We need to figure this klunk out, and these things have to happen even if we don't like them. Besides they'll probably be safer in the Slammer anyways." He gave Sadie and Thomas one last hard look before stalking off. They all watched Teresa being escorted away in silence Thomas looking positively devastated and as enraged as she left.

"Thanks Sadie. Thanks for making sure she isn't in there alone." Thomas stated giving her a small smile before wandering off leaving only her and Newt alone in the Deadheads. With the new gray and lifeless sky the whole forest was still bathed in a hazy glow but it did nothing to lighten the creepy feel of the woods. _Thomas actually likes it here?_

"You just had to get yourself thrown in jail." Newt groaned breaking her from her thoughts and running a hand through his blonde hair. "God you're so stubborn." Sadie smiled warmly at him and gave him a playful wink.

"Oh c'mon you know you love it." She teased receiving an overdramatic eye roll from Newt in response. Sadie snickered and retied her knife to her thigh sighing in relief to have her weapon back in place. She'd have to meet up with Minho and Thomas later to plan their next step. She didn't know about them, but she already knew what they had to do next. _No more darkness? The Maze doors open all night? We have to spend the night in the Maze… again. _

"We should get going." Newt mumbled nodding his head in the direction of Homestead. But before Sadie could reply she felt her vision begin to blur and her knees buckle. _No no no. Not again!_ She pleaded as she stumbled to her knees her eyesight fading fast. The forest around her began to spin like a top Newt's voice echoed like he was yelling at her from the end of a tunnel. The last thing she could feel was her head thud against the forest floor as she fell down the rabbit hole and was swept back into a memory.

* * *

"You're Immune Sadie. Do you know what that means?" A man whispered to her. Sadie could register only three things. One, she was young. Much younger than she had been in her other memories; she could only have been around six or seven. Two, the man that was kneeling before her gripping her shoulders tightly was her father. And three, she had no idea what was going on. Sadie shook her head in reply fidgeting slightly in her fathers grasp. "Do you remember what happened to mommy?" He asked his voice cracking.

"Yes daddy." She answered in a small and high-pitched voice. He nodded and began talking some more his voice sad and desperate. But Sadie wasn't really paying attention her mind kept wandering only stopping to pick up on the small details around her. Like the soft shade of green her room was, or how the light filtered in through the window's blinds casting stripes across the wooden floor. Or the fact that her dad was doing something she'd never seen him do before. He was _crying. _

"Do you understand Sadie? Do you understand why you have to go?"

"What's going on daddy?" Her father let out a small sob and hugged her tightly before breaking away and grasping her small hand. He led her to the bedroom door and swung it open revealing two strange looking men sitting on their living room couch. The men were dressed in bulky hazard suits, their faces completely covered by creepy looking gas masked. Sadie backpedaled suddenly afraid of the strangers but her father tugged her forward until they were standing directly in front of them.

"And you promise she'll be safe?" Her dad asked nervously giving Sadie's small hand a tight squeeze. One of the suited men nodded and reached out with a black-gloved hand grabbing onto Sadie's forearm. The thick rubber dug into her skin as the other man followed suit.

"Dad?" Sadie whispered as the two men stood and started tugging her towards the door. "Dad!" She called out louder this time as her young mind began to process the raging storm of fear she felt. "Let go!" She screeched trying to yank her arms out of the men's grasp. _"Daddy!" _Sadie kicked and screamed and cried as the scary looking strangers continued to tug her towards the door her father watching in despair the whole time. Sadie managed to tug one arm away and automatically slammed it into one of the stranger's stomach. "Let go!" She screamed hitting the man again and again. But it didn't do much and the man just grabbed her arm again his grip tighter this time.

"I'm sorry Sadie. I'm so sorry."

"_Daddy!"_

* * *

Sadie's eyes snapped open her arms and legs still flailing in terror against their restraints. _How could he do that? How could my dad just let them take me?_ Sadie wanted to scream and punch a wall. Her breaths were coming out too fast, but she couldn't help it. She felt claustrophobic, like a weight was being pressed into her chest and slowly squishing her lungs. She was going to loose it. This memory felt so much worse than the other ones. There was just something about seeing the dad she couldn't remember crying that squeezed her heart, and much to her dismay Sadie realized she was crying as well.

"_Sadie!" _She continued to squirm trying to wiggle her arms out of their iron holds. She had to get out. She had to get away and find her dad. She had to- "Sadie it's me! It's just me." Sadie stopped her struggling and looked up blinking the tears from her eyes away furiously at the sound of the familiar voice. She opened her eyes and was met with a pair of intense hazel ones.

_Newt. _It was only Newt.

He had her pinned down. His hands holding her arms against the ground while the rest of his body was sitting securely on her thighs, his own legs anchoring hers to the ground.

"Sadie? Sadie what's wrong, what happened?" Newt asked peering down at her his voice strained and worried. Sadie shuddered violently her breaths still coming out fast and ragged as she tried to make sense of it all. She tried focusing on his eyes trying to loose herself in the light brown and green speckled orbs while the rest of her body attempted to calm down. It took a few minutes but when it finally seemed like she'd calmed down Newt clambered off of her pulling Sadie into a sitting position while he kneeled in front of her. "What happened?" He asked again scooting closer towards her. Sadie glanced up and noticed an angry red mark on his cheek that would no doubt turn into a bruise.

"Did- did I punch you?" She stammered hugging her knees to her chest. Newt nodded giving her a small apologetic smile. "_Shit." _She groaned burying her face into her arms as sobs began to escape her lips. _Why am I crying? Why am I shucking crying? _Sadie thought angrily her shoulders shaking and chest heaving.

"Sadie?" Newt sat down next to her and started rubbing small, soothing circles into her back his other hand holding hers tightly. "What did you see?" Sadie shivered. His warm hands released some of the tension in her back and eased away her sobs.

"They took me away from my dad." She whispered trying to search for the salt and pepper haired man with brown eyes in her memory only to come up empty handed.

"What? Who did?" Sadie whipped her head up seething rage quickly adding into the jumble of emotions she felt.

"_They _did!" She hissed clutching her head angrily.

"The Creators." Newt stated nodding in agreement with her anger. Sadie had almost forgotten, she wasn't the only one that hated the Creators guts, she was just one of the few that could really remember what they've done. "Sadie how can you remember this stuff?"

"I don't know Newt." She pleaded leaning into the comforting feel of his side pressed against hers. "I just know that I want to kill them." Newt nodded again his face as grim and serious as Sadie felt.

"Trust me when I say we all want to Sadie." He whispered his breath tickling her ears. "All of us have been dreamin' of the day we get to have a bloody go at the Creators. But we need to worry about what's happening right now love. Things are goin' bugging mad and we need to figure them out." Sadie sighed loudly she knew he was right. There was no point worrying and plotting out the future when they had their own shit to deal with. "C'mon." He mumbled pulling the both of them to their feet.

"Why am I remembering these things Newt?" She asked wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her cheek against his chest. He hugged her back cradling her in his warm and muscular arms.

"I don't know. The only other people who remember are the guys that got stung by Grievers and went through the Changing." Sadie mulled it over silently trying to piece together the few memories that had resurfaced. _I've been stung by a Griever. _

"I can't believe I punched you in the face… again." Sadie mumbled in an attempt to change the subject. Thankfully it worked.

"Yeah, it might just be our thing." Newt chuckled pulling away from Sadie and making a show of rubbing his bruised cheek and wincing. "For shuck's sake love, you've sure got one _helluva_ arm." Sadie grinned and tugged on Newt's arm.

"C'mon slinthead we need to get back to Homestead so we can have a meeting before I go to jail again."

"Going to jail twice, punching me, kicking the Med-Jack's butts, I think the Glader's need to make an intervention."

"Oh shut up."

Once they arrived at the Homestead everything erupted into a hurried mess of confusion. Alby and Newt assigned different Keepers and Gladers jobs while Sadie and Thomas tried to help the Builders create small blockades in the Maze doorways. They were too small to do any good, but they just didn't have enough time on their hands or the right supplies. But it seemed that wasn't really Newt and Alby's aim, they were just trying to keep everyone busy, keeping everyone busy was the only thing keeping everyone's panic at bay. Many others were gathering food, supplies, and weapons. Everyone pitching in to turn the Homestead into a fort they could all hold up in for when the Grievers came out. And Sadie knew that the Grievers would indeed come out.

Before it could get too late Minho ushered her, Thomas, Newt, and Alby into one of the upstairs room while everyone else scrambled around outside.

"If- I mean, when we make it to wake-up tomorrow we need to assign groups to study the maps." Minho said starting the meeting off. "While us Runners get ready to spend a few days in the Maze." He finished leaning forward in his chair and looking at everyone that sat in the small circle.

"What the shuck do you mean? _Days?"_ Alby interjected his eyes snapping out of their daze.

"What else could I mean Alby? _Days. _The Doors ain't closing anymore it's about time we stay out there and see what we're up against." Alby shook his head angrily.

"No way. We're holding down Homestead for now. We can't ask anyone to go out into the Maze Minho. It's suicide, no one would be crazy enough to do it."

"We would." Sadie added in receiving a nod from both Minho and Thomas and even Newt. "And I bet the other Runners and a few Gladers will too." And then the arguments rang out inside the small and cramped room most of them directed towards Alby. After around five minutes of arguing and trying to convince Alby the Glader finally agreed grudgingly.

"Fine. But if we're gonna do this then I gotta do this in my own way." Sadie felt a surge of gratitude towards Alby and silently hoped he was going to start acting like himself again and become the leader they all needed. Her hopes were soon crushed when Alby made his way towards the door.

"Where are you goin'?" Minho asked as all of them watched Alby yank the door open in disbelief.

"I'm goin' out. See yah shucks in the morning." And with that the boy left leaving them all in stunned silence.

"He'll come back right?" Thomas asked voicing everyone's concerns. "He'll come back before we lock down Homestead right?" But Sadie had the sinking feeling that Alby would stay true to his words and they would or would not see him until morning.

"C'mon Sadie we need to get you to the Slammer." Newt finally said anxiously checking his watch.

The Slammer was almost exactly the same from last time. Except there was no longer a chair and only broken pieces left of the old one remained. Teresa was sat huddled against the corner a thick blanket wrapped around her shoulders that Thomas had probably snuck in for her no doubt.

"Sadie what's going on? Where is everyone?" Teresa asked sitting up straighter as more questions tumbled from her mouth. But before Sadie could answer any of them the low moan of a Griever echoed in the distance. _It's going to be a long night. _


	17. One by One

Newt had been assigned to a room with Thomas and several other Gladers. They were crammed inside like sardines all of them trying and failing to fall asleep. Newt had gotten the one bed in the room but he didn't see a point in attempting to sleep when he knew it wouldn't come.

The steady glow from the unnatural sky seemed to stretch the minutes into hours until it seemed like tomorrow would never come. It was obvious that no one else was sleeping either. The boarded windows and extra knives that each Glader had been given did nothing to stop the storm of panic that was building in Newt's chest. He couldn't help but think of Sadie as another groan from outside echoed through the Glade. _She's safer in the Slammer. _Newt reassured himself. _No way a Griever could break through those concrete walls. _But he still couldn't help but wish she was here with him instead, not necessarily to comfort her, he doubted Sadie would really need that, but to help him. Newt wasn't afraid of a lot of things. But he would always be terrified of the nightmare that was the Maze.

The constant anticipation of what could happen was maddening to Newt. With each passing minute the groans and _clicks_ of the Griever's continued to grow closer and closer. He almost wished they would just come and bloody get it over with. And as the hours passed by at a snails pace Newt started to wonder if he should just get up and walk out like Alby, just take whatever was coming before he went mad waiting for it to arrive. But one thing kept him glued to his spot in the small crammed room. _Sadie, Sadie, Sadie. _

_Sadie. _

And then they heard the first Griever approached Homestead. Everyone in the small group shot to their feet eyes wide in horror as the familiar wails and whirring of the Griever sounded directly outside, sending chills up Newt's spine as he tried to quiet everyone down. His own heart thumped rapidly against his chest as he motioned for everyone to stay silent and quietly limped towards the boarded up window. Thomas crept up behind him as Newt peered through one of the cracks in the boards but he saw nothing.

Nothing but the eerily empty Glade stretched out before them. Newt returned to his spot on the bed his eyes glued to the window as more sounds emitted from outside. The constant clicks, groans, and screeches of grinding metal was enough to get everyone on edge and enough to make Newt shudder every time a sound echoed outside. Everyone was up now no longer pretending to sleep as the terrifying snaps and whirrs continued to circle outside. Newt caught Thomas's eye and held up four fingers. _There's at least four out there…. At least. _

And then a new sound was added into the nightmarish mix. The horrifying sounds of shredding and splintering wood that shook the whole house making the beams of wood groan in protest.

It was climbing the side of the building. _It's coming. _Every boy in the room scrambled away from the window and far wall all of them huddling together against the door as the sounds of the climbing Griever continued to grow louder. The Homestead quivered under the Griever's weight, Newt could just picture it's sharp needles and appendages ripping into the wood as it climbed it's way towards them. It's sickening and rotten flesh pressing into the side. _We're done for. _And then when Newt was sure that the Griever was about to tear through the window, rip through the wall and kill them all, everything went silent.

Newt held his breath as lights began to flicker through the cracks in the window outlining a figure that swayed back in forth outside. Almost as if it was searching for them, trying to sniff them out like a wolf hunting for prey. When Newt was getting ready for the inevitable attack of the Griever, the door behind them sprung open sending them all reeling in shock, all of them shouting out in surprise at the unexpected attack from behind. And then they saw who had opened the door.

Gally.

Newt thought Gally was a raging mad man before, but that was nothing compared to how he was acting now. Gally's eyes were wide and bloodshot with a sick crazy gleam to them that made them all backup at his sudden appearance. He looked like klunk; his clothes were ripped and caked in mud and something that Newt hoped wasn't blood. The Glader collapsed to his knees his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to suck in as much air as possible before screaming a mad and haunting scream.

"They'll kill all of you!" He wailed his voice raw and angry. "They'll come back and kill everyone! One Glader every night until it's over. Until it's all over!" Gally staggered to his feet his legs thumping against the ground as he thudded towards Thomas and Newt pointing a shaky finger in Tommy's direction. "You- you shank!" He screeched manically spit flying from his mouth. "This is all your fault. You and those shucking girls!" Gally's fist clenched and soared toward Thomas's head so suddenly that all they could do was stand and watch as his fist smacked into Tommy's ear. Newt finally snapped out of his shock and surged forward pushing Gally away and sending the boy crashing into a rickety desk right by the boarded window. Newt and Thomas stood in front of the crazy Glader preparing for another fight. But Gally didn't try to retaliate he only looked at each of them his eyes sweeping the room with his mad and shudder inducing gaze.

"There's no way out, it can't be solved..._It can't be solved!"_ Gally shouted his voice distant and haunting. "One at a time…. each night…. their shucking Variables and trials. It's better this way." Newt soaked in the crazed boy's words, goose bumps racing up his arms.

"Gally." Newt tried stepping forward his eyes trained on the Glader. "You need to shut your bloody mouth. There's a Griever outside. If we're quiet it might go-"

"You don't get it Newt. You've never gotten it. You're all shucking idiots if you think you can solve the Maze! We can't win! They'll kill everyone… one by one!" Gally screamed throwing his body against the boards that were nailed to the window. He began ripping at them like a rabid animal until he ripped one free and threw it to the ground.

"Stop!" Newt barged forward right when Gally tugged the other board loose, he turned on Newt the board swinging and smacking with a burst of pain against Newt's head. Newt felt his head snap back and his body fly backwards into the room's bed, blood splattering the walls from the new gash. As soon as Newt crumpled onto the bed his vision went black.

Newt woke up to utter chaos. Gladers ran in every direction flashlights shinning, everyone yelling. Newt groaned and looked up to see Thomas standing in front of the now torn open wall of Homestead his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open as a form disappeared into the Maze. Thomas whipped around and sprinted out of the room disappearing into the mass of confused and scared Gladers. Newt pulled himself up; his head spinning rapidly as a deep ache spread through his skull. Blood trickled down the side of his face as he forced himself to his feet and dashed after Tommy grabbing a towel and pressing it to the side of his head as he pushed through the swarming boys.

"Tommy!" Newt called hobbling after him.

"Minho! He went after the Grievers. He went into the Maze!" Thomas shouted back trying to push his way through the Gladers. Newt pulled away the small towel and grimaced at the patch of blood that stained it.

"Shuck, this hurts like a mother." He grunted pressing it back into place. "And I know. I saw the shank follow it. I always knew Gally was crazy but it looks like Minho's not bloody far from it."

"I'm going after him."

"Is that bloody so Hercules?" Thomas shot Newt a dirty look and was about to give him a spitting reply when Minho rounded the corner and came running over.

"Minho? What the shuck were you doing you numbskull!" Thomas called waving the Glader over as the Keepers around them attempted to regain control of the panicking boys. Minho leaned forward on his knees sucking in big breaths.

"I… had… to make…. sure." He panted straightening up to look at the two of them.

"For shucks sake, make sure of what?" Newt asked impatiently. Minho shot him a sharp look and put his hands on his hips comically.

"Oh would you two slim it, I was checking to see if it went towards The Griever Hole."

"Did it?" Thomas asked

"Yep." Minho replied his eyes caught on something in the distance. "Smoke still comin' out Newt?" He asked nodding his head in the direction of the Map Room.

"Wait what do you mean smoke?" Thomas asked his eyes following their gaze.

"Someone burned all of the Map trunks. All of 'em."

Newt followed Thomas as they made their way towards the Slammer both of them doing their best to avoid staring at the angry gashes and overturned earth that trailed the ground, the path of destruction leading straight towards the jail.

"Do you think they're okay?" Thomas asked as they passed by several trees that had been shredded into splinters.

"Gally said one a night… and I don't think they could break through the Slammer's walls." Newt responded picking up their pace anyways. Newt had come close last night. To throwing it all in and following Gally's lead. He'd done it before, back when he'd decided to climb the Maze walls and… well.

"Teresa?" Thomas called through the bars anxiously

"Yeah?" Teresa's head popped into view her hand rubbing at her eyes groggily. "Did someone-"

"Where's Sadie?" Newt interrupted his voice hitching in worry.

"Here." A second voice answered Sadie's head coming into view as her and Teresa crammed their heads together to see out the small window. Newt sighed in relief, she looked fine just extremely tired. "This shucking girl, I swear she actually fell asleep." Sadie grumbled yawning widely.

"Can we come out now?" Teresa asked ignoring Sadie's comment, her arms snaking through the bars. "We have a lot to talk about. You'd be surprised by how much thinking you do in jail." Newt nodded and pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. As soon as Sadie stepped out of the Slammer Newt surged forward and wrapped his arms around her.

"Well someone missed me." Sadie chuckled the sound vibrating through his chest as her arms looped around him her head nuzzling into his neck. The feel of her cold nose against his skin and her hands on his back quickly chased away any and all thoughts of climbing Maze walls and… jumping. "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine love." Newt mumbled against her hair hugging her tighter.

"Well he did get smacked in the head with a board."

"What!" Sadie exclaimed pulling away and yanking Newt down by his shirt so she could have a better look at his head.

"Sadie!" Newt yelped as she tugged him forward. "I'm bloody fine, it was just a scratch." Sadie of course ignored him and continued to run her fingers through his messy blonde hair in search of the bloody gash. If Newt's head hadn't been hurting and if he wasn't being yanked down to the height of his slightly short girlfriend he would have rather enjoyed the moment.

"Who in the hell hit you in the head with a board?" Sadie demanded her fingertips brushing against the hastily bandaged cut.

"Gally did." Thomas answered for him watching them with a hint of amusement. Newt sent him a withering look.

"Wait." Sadie released Newt and turned on Thomas her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You mean you guys found Gally?"

"Well he kind of found us, started talkin' about death, punched Tommy, smacked me in the shuck head, then rode off into the sunset on a Griever. Nice little reunion." Newt quipped back him and Thomas quickly explaining the strange occurrences from last night to the two bewildered girls.

"He said they'd take one a night. And he kept talking about trials and variables- or something like that." Thomas finished shaking his head in wonder. The two girls shared a look and a silent agreement seemed to pass between them.

"Tom do you remember when you told me that I had mentioned something about codes to you?"

"Yeah, why do you think it means something?" Thomas responded leaning forward in interest.

"Well you told me that the walls move everyday and that Minho thinks there's a pattern… Well Sadie and I were talking and there just has to be a code in the maps somewhere." Thomas raised his hands his eyes getting far off and distant as he took in their information.

"Wait… Minho told me that they only compare each map with other maps in their Section. Maybe we're supposed to compare them to _other _sections." Newt could practically see a light bulb flip on over Tommy's head.

"Well Teresa and I thought about it and the first thing that popped into our heads when we thought about a code was _letters. _Like in the alphabet. What if-"

"The Maze is trying to _spell _out something." Teresa finished for Sadie and in that one moment all the puzzle pieces seemed to click together at the exact same time in all of their heads.

"Minho said the walls change in a pattern but the Runner's have only been analyzing each map in their own section. What if we're supposed to compare each map with _all _of the sections…like a-"

"Like a different code word for each day or a different letter each day." Sadie added catching on to Thomas's theory. Newt nodded the gears in his mind working in overdrive as he mulled over the idea.

"This whole time- we've been looking for a way to escape not letters or words. The whole shucking time we've been lookin' at them like maps, not pictures." Newt muttered his mind swirling in excitement and eagerness. _Is it possible? Did we actually find a way out? _

"Shuck." Thomas yelpedhis eyes widening in realization. "Oh crap, crap crap crap crap." Thomas stumbled back and caught Newt's eye his gaze shifting ever so slightly to the Map room.

"What's wrong now?" Sadie asked a spark of worry igniting in her eyes.

"The maps- they're gone. Someone burned them all. If there was a hidden code- it's gone now."


	18. The Code

"Well isn't this a happy reunion." A voice called out from behind them, breaking the startled silence that had spread amongst the four. Minho jogged his way over to the group his hair standing on end. His face covered in a layer of soot and grime. It looked like the three boys had all had a rough night. It had been impossible for her to ignore the terrifying sounds of the Grievers outside the Slammer walls. Being inside the enclosed concrete walls did little to ease Sadie's worries. In fact it had made everything seem worse, she couldn't run she wouldn't have had enough space to come up with a plan or escape. But she'd have to reminisce about that later because Sadie's head was too busy swimming in confusion. _The maps are gone? How can they be gone, who would burn the map room? But more importantly who would stay out at night and burn the map room? _"Nice to see you Sadie, but shouldn't the other one be locked up?"

"Give it a rest, she's out and she is staying out." Thomas growled crossing his arms stubbornly.

"We don't even know her. How can we trust her?" Minho pointed out while Teresa's expression soured, but Sadie wasn't really paying attention. She was too busy watching a trail of smoke slink into the gray sky.

"Oh c'mon Minho, we can trust her!"

"He has a point Tommy."

"She practically admitted to shucking everything up Thomas, we should just throw her back in the Slammer while we have the chance.

"Why don't you-"

"_Or-" _Sadie interjected her temper flaring at the bickering trio, "Why don't you all shut up so we can focus on the real problem." The boys instantly quieted down and turned towards her. She pointed in the direction of the Map Room, right where the trail of smoke led. "What's going on Minho? What happened to the Map Room?" Minho and Newt shared a look, Minho looked confused and slightly disapproving while Newt shrugged apologetically and nodded. "You know, if I wanted to watch two people speak telepathically I'd just stare at Thomas and Teresa for an hour. Shucking spill it already." Minho sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly, it looked like he hadn't gotten enough sleep in awhile. But Sadie couldn't muster it up in herself to feel sympathetic for him, they were all just as tired and she was still fed up with the secrets the two had obviously been keeping.

"Well since your boyfriend hasn't already told you, the Map room was set on fire. Someone went out in the middle of the night and knocked Alby out, hit his head against a table and torched the whole freaking building. Winston noticed and some shanks put it out, but all the trunks are gone." Thomas stepped forward his face grim and his jaw clenched.

"But some of the Runners must remember at least some of the maps right. We need them. We've been looking at them all wrong." He quickly explained their theory to Minho Sadie and Teresa filling in their own thoughts on the code along the way. Minho's face grew more thoughtful as they ran through their idea. "But if I'm right, it won't work without the maps." Newt ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, like Thomas and Sadie were still being left out on an obvious joke.

"The maps aren't destroyed Tommy. They're safe, every last one of 'em." Sadie had to do a double take at Newt's words; it seemed to good to be true.

"Wait. What?" Thomas asked his brow furrowed in confusion.

"We hid them." Minho explained in exasperation. "Alby gave us a warning so we stashed them all in the weapons room and put some decoys in their place." Sadie was so relieved she felt like singing, which would have been awful. She wasn't sure how, but she knew for a fact that she was a terrible singer.

"Then what the shuck are we waiting for?" Sadie grabbed onto Newt's hand and took off in the direction of Homestead, Minho, Thomas, and Teresa running after them as she led the way to the weapons room.

* * *

Sadie opened the door like she always did. By kicking it open. And Newt and Minho led the rest inside the dank and creepy storage room. Knives and other unfriendly looking weapons glinted in the dim light as they made their way towards the back of the room. Newt helped Minho tug the hidden closet open and drag the boxes full of maps out. They scraped against the floor with an awful fingernails on a chalkboard screech, but to Newt they sounded like angels singing. He couldn't believe it, all this time they'd been comparing them all wrong, if Thomas was right, and Newt had the growing suspicion that he was, then they'd finally done it. After all his time spent in the Maze, after jumping off the bloody wall, after all he'd been through, they were finally going to find a way out. And he'd make sure that Sadie was by his side for the whole thing.

Thomas pulled some Section Two maps into his lap and mumbled out their theories again. Minho listened with an intense interest as he helped Sadie and Newt sort through the piles of maps, trying to re-organize them into sections again. The other girl stood awkwardly over Newt's shoulder her eyes focused on Thomas as she wrung her hands nervously.

"Well, come on then, we ain't gonna bite. Grab a pile and help Tommy out… Teresa." Newt offered waving the girl over trying his best to look semi-friendly and approving.

"Thank you Newt." Sadie whispered next to him, her hand reaching out to give his a quick squeeze before going back to sorting through a box. Newt still didn't trust the girl, he was still suspicious about her all the way down into his gut. _But Sadie trusts her, and that has to mean something. _

"Wax paper." Thomas blurted out, his arms shooting up to hold two overlapping maps up against the light leaking into the dingy weapons room from the doorway.

"What?" Minho asked scooting closer to Thomas to peer up at the two maps in confusion.

"Just trust me we need wax paper, scissors, and black markers, and lots of them."

Once the supplies had been gathered, much to Frypan's annoyment, Thomas had Minho cut out rectangles of wax paper while Newt, Sadie, and Teresa gathered the first ten maps from each section.

"This better be shucking good Thomas, I don't want to have gone through this 'arts and crafts' klunk for nothing." Minho warned as he tried to cut the wax paper with a large knife. Newt saw Sadie grab what looked like her combat boot and toss it at his head with a resounding _thud_. "Ow! Damnit Sadie what was that for?"

"Oh quit your whining and woman up Minho, we've got work to do." Newt chuckled to himself as Minho muttered obscenities towards Sadie under his breath while he sliced through the wax paper with more vigor. Once they had cut twenty or so pieces Tommy instructed them all to trace each map over the wax paper.

"And be sure to write all the information at the top."

They set to work, all of them hustling against the clock while also trying to keep their map outlines neat and correct. After they had gone through two boxes Newt's fingers were aching and he was starting to question whether or not the plan would actually work. But after looking up from what felt like his hundredth map he saw Sadie pouring over her work feverishly. Her eyes shinning in anticipation as her brow crinkled ever so slightly and her lips pursed in concentration. _This is going to work. _Newt reminded himself as he returned to his maps. _It has to._

* * *

"For shucks sake Thomas is this enough?" Sadie finally asked her fingers felt numb and stiff as she set down her black marker and pushed the maps away in distaste. Looking at the maps for so long had started to make her dizzy and irritable. Even more so than usual anyways.

"Yeah, that should do it." Thomas mumbled rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. "Can you guys sort them into piles by the most recent days, Sections one through eight starting here?" The Gladers nodded and sorted through the piles anxiously. Sadie could feel her heart thudding against her chest as she handed the maps for day one to Thomas. _Please let this work. _She pleaded moving over to stand next to Thomas to watch as the lines overlapped into what look like a grid.

And there it was, clear as day. A giant _F_ made up of intersecting and overlapping lines took shape on the papers. And Sadie felt her face break into a smile as everyone released the breath they couldn't remember holding in the first place.

"Quick, do more." Teresa urged her hands flying towards the piles of maps as they all began to stack different days together and find new words spelled out in the pages.

An, _F, L, O, A, _and _T _were quickly revealed_. _ Then as they moved on to even more maps the letters _C, A, T, C, _and _H _where uncovered much to Sadie's and Thomas's delight.

"Float and catch?" Newt mused as they all hovered over the newly formed letters. "We have to keep going, get through all of 'em."

"Maybe you guys do but we," Minho interjected, motioning to Thomas, Sadie, and himself. "Can't the Maze doors are open and we need to go running. Stay out overnight if we have to." Everyone's head snapped up in shock and they all glowered at Minho.

"You can't be serious man. You said it yourself the pattern repeats itself and besides doing this, figuring out the code is way more important!" Thomas objected gesturing towards the piles of maps.

"That is such bullshit Thomas. Running in the Maze has never been more important. We need to get out there and see if something's changed, check out the Griever Hole and stay out over night." Thomas still didn't seem convinced but Sadie could see it from Minho's point of view, and if she had to trace one more freaking map Sadie swore she would scream.

"I'll gather up some other trustworthy Gladers to help us out on the project while you three go out." Newt added.

"I'll stay and help too." Teresa said her eyes meeting Sadie's with a serious and determined gleam.

"Good that, lets get our asses in gear and go then." Sadie sighed in relief and nodded wrapping her arms around Newt's neck as she pulled him into a deep kiss. She felt him smile against her lips as his hand cupped her chin.

"Stay safe love." He mumbled, as she pulled away, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Don't worry I will." Sadie responded trying to give him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I mean come on it is me we're talking about." Newt smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Good that."

"Oh and Newt?" Sadie mumbled turning to look back at him as she made her way towards the door. "I- I lo- I mean… I'll see you in the morning." She muttered stumbling over her words in embarrassment before turning to go and jog off after Minho and Thomas.

* * *

The trio packed their bags to the bursting point with supplies. There was no telling how long they'd be out there or when they'd get back. Sadie was surprised by the number of Runners that had shown up to go out into the Maze with them, even non- Runners had volunteered to help, even little Chuck had bravely stated that he'd run if they needed him to. It was enough to make Sadie feel a sudden rush of warmth for all of the Gladers. Sure she didn't know all of them personally, and no doubt a few of them probably still didn't trust her, but like she had told Chuck, they were all a family, they were all connected.

Sadie flashed back to the dreams she'd had of her and those girls. In the dreams she was almost always with the two named Sonya and Harriet or pestering the tall girl she called Amy. _Were we like this? Like a family? _Sadie wondered as they all geared up together, each boy shaking hands with or even hugging their fellow Gladers as they prepared to enter the Maze for what very well may be their last time.

* * *

**Well hello there my lovely readers. Im sorry I havent written in god I dont even know how long. I made a list of excuses some including the fact that I didn't have time, someone ****borrowed *cough* stole *cough* my TMR copy, and school is kind of kicking my but, blah blah blah. But anyways i'm back now and Im going to try and at least get a chapter out to you guys ONCE A WEEK. I'll write it on my forehead if I have to! Anyways thank you for reading and sticking with Sadie and Newt, if you have any questions/ comments or anything nice to say (because it's always nice to hear) please feel free to comment, or not whatever. **

**Thank you and sorry it took me so shucking long, anyways I'll see you guys (metaphorically) next week. **


	19. A Rise in Frustration

Sadie's feet pounded against the hard ground and her lungs burned as the trio ran through the maze their eyes scanning the ivy covered walls for any signs or clues of an escape. The walls hadn't moved at all, like the doors, they were stuck in the position from the night before which made running the route almost easy. They traveled in silence, the thumping of their footsteps only being broken up when Thomas completely tripped over his own feet and ended up taking Sadie down with him. Minho had to yell at Sadie several times before she would stop cursing at Thomas. She knew it wasn't necessarily his fault, they all had a lot on their minds, but she was already high strung and felt as confused as ever. _Float and Catch? What the hell do they mean? _Sadie could almost here the joints in her legs groan in protest as she sprinted around corner after corner. But the pain only made her run harder. Pretty soon she was keeping pace with Minho. The renewed vitality of their job as Runners was stocking her up with enough adrenaline to run a marathon. Sadie felt like a machine. But one of the biggest reasons she was pushing herself so hard was because she was too caught up in her own thoughts to even notice her increasing pace.

_ I almost told him! What was I thinking? If there was ever a time where you should not tell someone that you love them then that was certainly it! Stupid shank. _Sadie grimaced inwardly at the awkward memory and ran faster until she had surpassed Minho altogether. _Stupid, stupid stupid. _Her thoughts chimed, spending time with Newt had begun to become increasingly more… frustrating to Sadie. Every time she was him she couldn't help but think, _Is this it? Is this the last time I'll see you? _It was taking every once of self-control to stop herself from full on tackling him the Glader. The idea brought a smile onto Sadie's face for a millisecond and she snickered at the thought. Sadie shook the thoughts away and glanced over her shoulder at the two boys behind her.

"Hurry up boys! I want to be home by sun-up and I ain't slowing down for you."

* * *

When they had finally finished their section Sadie screeched to a halt and collapsed on the ground her chest rising and falling rapidly with her tired and exhilarated breaths.

"For shucks sake Sadie are you crazy?" Minho asked his breathing heavy as him and Thomas plopped down next to her and pulled out their food. Sadie rolled her eyes and opened her own backpack pulling out yet again, another freaking apple. _Are you shucking kidding me? _Sadie bit into the apple with distaste and replied.

"Maybe I am. We could use a little more crazy if you ask me. Besides isn't that what you're here for?"

"Har har har. Point taken." Minho leaned his head back against the thick ivy coating the wall and sighed in frustration his eyes glaring out into the maze before him. "Not one single thing. We ran the whole damn section and would you believe it? No shucking exit again!" Sadie felt the rush she had felt before fade into disappointment and sink down into her stomach like a weight. He was right, they'd climbed the walls in random places, checked every turn, every corner, inspected every crevice, but they had still found nothing. Minho stared down at his hands angrily and clenched his fist as if he were getting ready to punch a wall. The action seemed so familiar to Sadie that she felt a throb of anger herself, and her mind quickly jumped into another memory.

* * *

"You can't honestly tell me you were expecting to find an exit right away Sadie." Amy sighed as she inspected the maps that Sadie and the other Navigators had drawn up of the Maze. Sadie sat next to Harriet and Sonya leaning back in her chair with a sulky expression splayed across her face. She'd been in the Meadow for well over a year now but it still felt like a lifetime, they'd lost another girl last night to the Grievers.

Sonya was drawing up a picture of her as they spoke her eyebrows pulled together in concentration as her pen danced across the page. They had started drawing up portraits of each girl that died when they discovered that Sonya had amazing artistic skills, it wasn't much but it helped the girls remember everyone they had lost.

"I don't honestly know what I was expecting Amy, something! I was expecting to find something! And we haven't found a damn thing." Sadie replied in exasperation. Harriet stood up quickly and dropped a pile of maps onto Sadie's lap her eyes squinted down at her with a disapproving gleam.

"You are so full of it. Why don't you take a long hard look at all we've done you sorry Stick. We've found patterns, we found out the Maze changes, we haven't done nothing girl!" It was true. They had slowly uncovered the changing routes and patterns of the Maze but it still wasn't enough for Sadie. The new loss had added another weight onto her shoulders, a lot of the other girls in the Meadow were beginning to question her leadership, tension was building and Sadie felt like she was holding up the sky itself.

"It's not enough!" Sadie yelled, tossing the papers around her in a wild frenzy. "We need to find a way out Harriet! Clues and patterns won't do us any good if we can't find a way out you stick!" Sadie glared down at her hands and squeezed them into fists. It had never been said out loud but Sadie knew that there was an unspoken agreement that Sadie was supposed to find the way out. It was her job, it was her trademark, and ever since she first ventured out into the Maze everyone had decided that the responsibility would lie on her. It was enough to make Sadie want to punch a wall.

* * *

"We should get going, just because the doors aren't closing doesn't mean the Grievers won't come out and play." Thomas muttered breaking Sadie out of her thoughts and pulling her back into reality like a lifeline. The three quickly finished their small meals and packed up, all of them eager to avoid any run-ins with a Griever. The thought sent shudders down Sadie's spine and she pulled out two long, curved blades from the sheaths at her sides. The two boys followed suit and they all took off, weapons at the ready in each hand.

Turns out that the knives weren't even needed, every Griever they spotted just plowed on right past them. It was enough to give Sadie a heart attack each time she saw one but they seemed uninterested in the Gladers. This fact only seemed to further Minho's disappointment and frustration.

"Not one damn thing. The Creators are just messing with us now, aren't they? And I bet a Griever is headed straight for the Glade to take some other poor shuck just like Gally said. This is all so useless." Sadie felt her shoulders sag and couldn't help but agree with the boy. "Let's just go home."

* * *

They made it back a little before what would be the usual wake up time in the Glade. Which was way too early by Sadie's standards. Newt was the first to greet them and the small flicker of hope for good news in his eyes was enough to make Sadie's heart crumble.

"Please tell me you have some bloody good news." Newt said. The three quickly explained that they had in fact found nothing new and nothing good. It was enough to wipe the hopeful smile off of Newt's face.

"Did the Grievers come again last night?" Thomas asked quietly, the question only made Newt's expression darken.

"Yeah, they took Adam."

"Oh no not Adam." Sadie muttered under her breath. "Wait… who's Adam?"

"Shut your shucking mouth Sadie. I'm so shucking done!" Minho yelled his voice quivering in anger. Sadie knew she had crossed the line; she shouldn't have taken someone else's disappearance as a joke. But she couldn't help it, it was almost like a defense mechanism, if she could at least put a funny spin on things then they didn't seem so impossible or so dreary. But still, her comment and Minho's reaction made her want to kick herself in the shin.

"Minho, I didn't mean-"

"I said shut up!" The Keeper threw his bag onto the ground and stalked off his head hanging low and his face bright red. _If Minho's giving up… then we're all screwed now. _

An hour later Sadie and Thomas made their way over to the map room. Newt waved them in and clasped onto Sadie's elbow at the last second. She'd wandered off shortly after Minho and nobody not even Newt had been able to find her in the Glade.

"Hey Sadie, you know that Minho's just freaked out over all this right? You shouldn't worry about it, he's always been a bloody hothead." She nodded slightly and gave Newt a small smile that made his heart flutter. He had hoped that the three of them would return with good news, now that another Glader had been taken and another warehouse had been torn into splinters he was just happy to see them all in one piece. Newt wanted to ask Sadie about what she had tried to say before leaving, he could've sworn she was going to say _love_ but he swallowed the question. She seemed tense enough already.

"We have all of the code figured out." Teresa said as the two filed into the Map room. She explained the repeating words they had found in each map and told them that they had all stopped when it became apparent that the six words were it.

_Float_

_ Catch_

_ Bleed_

_ Death_

_ Stiff_

_ Push_

That's all the maps had uncovered, and none of it made bloody sense in Newt's mind. Thomas and Sadie poured over the words and tried several times to rearrange them and make sense of them, but no matter what nothing added up. Newt finally ordered the two to get some rest when they began bickering over the maps and when Sadie threatened to tie Thomas to a Maze wall by his ankles. Thomas wandered off muttering about taking a nap while Sadie curled up into a ball in a corner of the map room and instantly dozed off. Newt sighed and took off his jacket, draping it over Sadie like a blanket before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"You really care about her don't you?" Teresa mumbled from behind as she watched the small intimate scene before her.

* * *

Sadie woke up to Teresa shaking her shoulders. "Ugh what now?" Sadie whined, and tried to curl herself into a tighter ball and ignore the wake up call. "It's too early for this Teresa."

"Sadie it's seven o'clock at night."

"Oh."

"They're gathering everyone up and organizing everyone into different rooms for the night." Teresa explained as she hauled Sadie to her feet and led her to Homestead. The Builders were adding some finishing touches to the repairs they were making to the walls the Grievers had destroyed. _Well this doesn't look encouraging. _Sadie thought as she inspected the hastily patched up walls.

"Sadie, and er… Teresa, you two will be in the main living room with Thomas and Newt." Alby said clapping a hand down on Sadie's shoulder as he gave Teresa a look of distaste. Sadie was glad to see the Glader on his feet and bossing people around again. She nodded and walked inside spotting Newt sitting with his back against the wall in the farthest corner of the room. Sadie walked over and sat down next to him as everyone else found their own spots.

Unlike her first quiet night in the Glade when she had been locked in the Slammer with Teresa, who for some reason was able to sleep, the silence was being broken up by the hum of whispered and frightened conversations. It became pretty clear that no one planned on falling asleep, except for Teresa who was inexplicably asleep in an opposite corner near Thomas.

As the night began to move at a snails pace the sounds of Grievers began to echo outside. Newt's body tensed next to Sadie and the fear in the room began to roll off of everyone in waves, filling the air with an uneasy static.

"You okay Newt?" Sadie whispered tugging on Newt's sleeve to try and draw his attention away from the boarded up window.

"Oh yes I'm fantastic, now that you mention it." Sadie rolled her eyes and shifted until she was sitting in front of Newt, her knees bumping against his.

"Newt, look at me." His gaze tore away from the window and focused on her, his eyes seemed to almost glow in the dim lighting and Sadie felt herself shudder. She had clench her fist, her fingernails biting into her palm in order to stop herself from leaning forward and kissing his jaw.

Newt looked about as terrified as Sadie felt, her eyes flicked down to his injured leg and back. _Did a Griever do that to you? _Sadie asked him silently.

"Here," Sadie mumbled tapping on his knee and moving so that she was sitting in-between his legs with her back pressed against his chest. "I'm right here, they aren't going to get us." Newt let out a humorless bark of laughter and wound his arms around Sadie's waist, pulling her tightly against him. Sadie leaned back against his chest and felt it rise and fall rapidly with his breaths; she could practically hear his heart thumping against his ribcage. "Just try and distract yourself." Sadie whispered.

Newt shifted behind her and leaned forward resting chin on her shoulder so that his cheek was brushing hers. One of his arms slipped down from her waist and to her thigh, he began to trace the lines in her jeans, his arms still shaking around her as the mechanical groans of grievers sounded outside. Sadie stiffened and felt her stomach do a back flip as she watched his index finger draw patterns on her leg.

"Well great, now _I'm_ distracted." Newt chuckled his nose bumping against her jaw.

"I know what you were going to say Sadie." He teased causing Sadie's face to break out in a nervous blush.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Newt." She lied.

"I know what you trying to say before you left yesterday," Sadie could practically hear him smirking mischievously. "And you know you-" But before he could finish his sentence a crash sounded upstairs followed by screams and the pounding of footsteps as more then a dozen Gladers ran down the stairs.

"They got Dave!" Someone shouted, as more boys fled into the room all of them yelling and some even crying as two more Grievers tore through the entire house and exited out the front. As the last Griever rolled out of Homestead Thomas leapt to his feet and dashed after it.

"Thomas!" Sadie and Newt yelled as they both jumped to their feet and sprinted after him, Teresa and Chuck hot on their heals as they watched Thomas dive into a group of Grievers and throw himself against their needles and blades.

_"Tom!"_ Teresa screamed her voice tearing through the night like a dagger as the Grievers rolled away, leaving Thomas behind in a heap on the ground. Sadie ran forward and grabbed one of Thomas's arms, Newt taking hold of the other one.  
"Grab his legs, and get him inside!" Teresa and Chuck complied and they hurried past the demolished entrance of Homestead and plopped him down on the nearest couch. ""Get me some Grief Serum _now!_" Newt ordered as Sadie and Teresa tore off Thomas's shirt and tried to stop the flow of blood. "You bloody idiot Tommy! What where you thinking?" Thomas tried to speak but he was fading fast, the Med Jacks ran in and injected him with the serum. Sadie grabbed hold of another blanket and held it against his side. Her hands were already stained with his blood and it was quickly soaking through the blanket. _You idiot! You shank! _

"Of all the stupidest things you've ever done that has got to be the epitome of stupid!" Sadie yelled angrily. Thomas shook his head weakly and whispered.

"I meant to. I had to try and-" And then he blacked out cold.

* * *

_**Hey guys, well would you look at me all updating my story on time and stuff! Hahahaha thank you again for all of the lovely comments and feedback I really appreciate it all. **_

_**A**__**nd I forgot to mention to some of you who have been following the story for awhile that while i went through that hella long gap between updating i was secretly ninja editing my older chapters. There are no MAJOR CHANGES but i just fixed up some mistakes (**_**_bleh) and added some more detail into the earlier ones, I'd recommend maybe checking out CH 10 again, just cuz i like it waaaayyy more now. But besides that feel free to choose what to reread or not to rearead. _**

**_Anyways special thanks to jjweyand15 it wouldnt allow me to respond to your comment but gosh girl you made my week! Thank you sooooo much it really meant alot to me and I promise I'll continue the story with the other books, and about that question you asked, well the answer is I promise to NOT let that happen but how I wont let it happen, well you'll have to wait and see :)_**

**_But again thank you guys, I love you all and thanks for sticking with Sadie._**


	20. The Truth

"I think he's waking up." Sadie whispered, climbing out of her chair beside Thomas's bed to peer down at his face. Chuck rushed over his eyes wide and hopeful as the two leaned over the Glader. "Chuck go get someone, tell them Thomas is waking up." The boy nodded and trotted off, casting another glance back before leaving the two. Thomas looked like klunk. Similar to Alby and Ben, thick veins lined his arms and chest, but they were fading and his color was coming back.

"Thomas? Hey Thomas you awake?" Sadie asked poking his cheek and tapping his forehead as she leaned in closer. Thomas groaned and his eyes shot open to see the too close and pissed looking face of Sadie.

"Sadie!" He yelped jumping up and accidentally head-butting her forehead with his.

"Ow! For shucks sake Thomas!"

"Why were leaning in so much? It's your fault!"

"My fault?" Sadie hissed her eyes narrowing. "I was just checking to see if you were awake shank." She rubbed at her forehead wincing at the growing ache above her eyebrows. Sadie felt simultaneously relieved and angry to see Thomas awake. He'd been out for three days, and just like Gally promised one Glader had been taken each day. Including Zart. _Stupid shank and his stupid idea. Could've gotten himself killed. _

"Jeez you have a thick head Sadie." Thomas complained as he pulled himself into a sitting position and rested his back against the headboard.

"Says the guy who tried to crowd surf in a group of Grievers." Thomas gave a weak chuckle and nodded. Sadie wanted to ask him what he had seen. If he knew what he had done to all of the Gladers, what him and Teresa had done to her. But instead she asked, "Are you talking to Teresa? You know, in your head?" with a small tap to her temple.

"Yeah. I saw a lot of things Sadie. We, Teresa and I, we did some bad things." Sadie shrugged and punched him gently in the shoulder. So he had seen what she had. So what? So what if him and Teresa helped Wicked.

"Doesn't mean you're a bad person." Before Sadie could do something crazy, like hug or punch Thomas Newt walked in. The two looked up as the Glader stalked in his blonde hair a tangled mess from the stress of the past couple days.

"Newt, we need to call a gathering."

"Well it's good to see you too Tommy." Newt limped over and pulled a seat out next to Sadie's before leaning in on his elbows. "I gotta say Tommy that was one of the stupidest and smartest bloody things you've ever done." While Thomas was out Minho and Sadie had had to search the Maze without him. They'd still found nothing, but now that Thomas had gone through the Changing, well that might have changed.

"It's all a test Newt, they're throwing everything they've got at us to try and get rid of the weaker ones. They're trying to see if we'll give up."

"What like a bloody experiment?" Newt mumbled looking from Sadie to Thomas.

"Kind of. They want to try and weed everyone else out until they have the best. All of their variables, even Teresa and Sadie are a part of their plans, their analysis. There's only one test left."

"You know how to get out, don't you?" Sadie mumbled as they all exchanged serious and determined glances. By the tone of his voice Sadie could tell that whatever he was planning, it wasn't pretty. But the way she saw it was, they didn't really have a choice.

* * *

They made Sadie sit beside Thomas in the same chairs they had questioned them in before. The Keepers all sat in a semi-circle around them, all of them present except for the two empty spaces that belonged to Zart and Gally.

"Like always, we don't got a lot of time, so get talking." Alby instructed from his seat in the center of the ring of Keepers. _Yep, same old Alby, bossy and good as new. _

"Okay," Thomas stood up nervously and looked around. Sadie gave him a thumbs up and motioned for him to talk. "During the Changing, I saw some things. All of these memories went through my head like a movie on fast-forward but some things stuck out about the Maze. It's all a test. This whole thing. It's a trial, the Maze was never meant to be solved, and the Creators they want the survivors to-"

"Wait, what?" A gangly looking Keeper called out, the others echoing their confusion as well.

"We were selected when we were little. Something went wrong with the world and the Creators decided that we had a higher intelligence and something the other adults didn't have. So they took as and taught as and built the Maze. And gave us stupid nicknames like Alby is Albert Einstein, Newt is for Isaac Newton and so on. Then they stuck us in the Maze."

"Wait so these ain't even our real names?" Alby called out his face a mask of confusion as the other Gladers began to talk over each other.

"We don't even know our names."

"We're just orphans raised by scientist."

"We're lab rats."

"Shut it!" Sadie yelled stomping her heavy boots against the ground to regain everyone's scattered attention. She could tell they were all scared, a group of boys and all of them had no idea what to do or if they'd survive. Sadie was scared too, but she had to help Thomas she had to make them see what they were up against, why they were here. "There's more to these experiments. There are two Mazes, one with boys that we're in now, and another full of girls. The Creators are testing us and them to see who will give up, to see who can survive. We're more intelligent than other teenagers, there's something different about us, and because of that they're analyzing us."

"How do you know all this?" Winston called out, his voice quiet and disbelieving as leaned forward to stare at Sadie. Sadie felt her fist clench and her hair stand on end as every boy turned to look at her, even Newt. "How do you know about this other Maze and about the Creators too?"

"Because I was apart of the other group. Something went wrong… and they moved me over here with Teresa. I'm a variable." Sadie tried to keep her voice low and calm as another wave of whispers passed through the group like a tremor.

"Sadie, how can you remember that?" Newt asked pulling himself to his feet and walking across the room to stand in front of Sadie. His hazel eyes squinted in confusion as he put his hands on her shoulders. "Why can you remember these things? Why can you remember your dad?" Sadie shuddered and rested her forehead against Newt's chest, the memory of her father and the mess she had become after remembering him all too clear in her head.

"There's no way she can know that stuff not unless she-" Sadie's eyes snapped open and she lurched toward the crowd of boys, Newt's arms wrapped around her waist to keep her from lunging at them as her anger boiled.

"Because I've been through the Changing!" She spat her body tense against Newt's as she glared into the face of each Glader. "I went through it way before any of you, and you know what the Changing does? It ambushes you. More and more memories will keep resurfacing throughout your whole life. But you'll never get them all back! All you get are bits and pieces of painful information _**but you'll never complete the puzzle!**_"

"Sadie." Newt whispered holding her closer as the anger leaked out of her. Sadie had no idea where it came from. All of a sudden it had just come spilling out like a tidal wave. They had to understand, thay had to believe them, she was tired of this "don't trust her" bullshit, if they wanted to find a way out they'd have to listen, whether they trusted her or not.

"Sadie's right." Thomas interrupted drawing the attention away from her, much to Sadie's relief. "The Creators have done all of this. It's sick, and it's twisted. They've been throwing these things at us, the girls, the Grievers, the freaking Maze. Its all some stupid test to see who's will can be broken. The Maze can't be solved, it was never meant to be solved, but because we're different we can't understand that there's a problem we can't solve. And that's what they want." The Keepers broke into chaos, all of them yelling angrily, at each other, at Sadie, at Thomas.

"We better hear about this escape plan Thomas, because I don't want to be apart of this crap anymore." Frypan yelled as he jumped up and sent his chair toppling.

"Shut it and let the Shank talk." Minho ordered from his seat in the far right corner. Sadie hadn't heard him speak once during the meeting but she was glad for it now, and he gave Thomas just enough confidence to keep talking.

"Before I tell you the plan, I need to tell you the truth about me and Teresa. So you'll believe me." Thomas quickly explained everything to the Gladers, and Sadie's memories were right. They had helped build the Maze. The boys took all of this in silence as he told them about the Creators, about him and Teresa's telepathy, and about the design of the Maze. In the end it was Minho who spoke up first.

"We're all in the same boat man, the Creators did this to us not you and Teresa. And to be honest I don't really give a klunk about all of that, all I care about is that you're with us. So get on with the escape plan already." Thomas looked like he was about to explode in relief. The other Gladers seemed to agree with Minho and waited for Thomas to say more.

"There's a computer that we need to enter the code in. It's in the Maze, in a place we've never been before."

"What do you mean, we've searched that damn thing hundreds of times." Alby interjected his eyebrows rising in confusion.

"Not this place." Thomas said his eyes scanning the room. "It'll be suicide, and all of the Grievers will come at us but it's the only way… We have to go into the Griever Hole."


	21. The Beginning of the End

"You expect us to believe that?" Alby muttered darkly, his hands clenching as he gave Sadie and Thomas a hard glare. "You expect all of us to believe everything you've said, we can't go out there! The Creators probably sent you two here to kill us. And Thomas, you're nothing more than a traitor!" Alby's voice began to rise as he yanked himself up from his chair, his fist raised as if to strike Thomas.

"You honestly think I made this all up? That I was just playing some part when I saved you? When I got torn up by a bunch of Grievers three nights ago!" Thomas yelled, his voice bitter and brimming with annoyance. Sadie looked at Alby in disbelief, he'd seemed fine just seconds before. He'd been just like Alby was supposed to be. A leader, strict but not cruel, and not accusatory or panicky like he was now. Because that's just what Alby was doing, he was panicking. Sadie could see it in his eyes. Alby was scared shitless about the prospect of leaving the Maze.

"Who knows, maybe you did." Alby spat he turned on Sadie his arms reaching out towards her, his face angry and hysterical. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you? You've seen it too Sadie!"

"Alby I don't-"

"Don't you dare shucking lie to me!" Minho and Frypan grabbed onto Alby's arms and tugged him back into his chair. "I'm telling you we can't go back out there. The world- it's messed up. It's awful, there's nothing left, disease, burned land, everything is gone!" A shudder crawled up Sadie's spine it sounded all too familiar. She'd seen it before, just brief flashes. Disease infested people that were hardly human, barren land, fires.

"The Flare." She whispered walking over and bending down until she was eye level with Alby. "It's called the Flare right?" Alby nodded and broke down completely, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed into his hands. Sadie backed up her head swimming as pictures of rotting faces and corpses danced in her head. _Home is gone. _Sadie looked around the room. All of the Gladers were watching her warily, whispering as they witnessed their leader cry. _I can't tell them, we have to get out. Anything is better than this. I can't tell them. _

"We were put in this freaking Maze for a reason. We're here because we're smart, because we don't give up and because we're willing to fight, to survive. And I for one am not going to sit here and be picked off by Grievers. I'm going to fight!" The Keepers watched her in stunned silence; most of them nodding in agreement as more chatter broke out.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Thomas murmured as Minho walked over to stand beside them. He clasped a hand down on Thomas's shoulder and raised his fist in the air, holding up all of the energy and surging power in the room like a trophy.

"I don't know about you shanks but I'm with Thomas. I'm following this guy right here no matter what, and fighting alongside this shank girl no matter what. Even if they are freakin' annoying I want to die trying beside these two freaks." Sadie gave Minho a nod and reached over to take Newt's hand, giving it a tight squeeze as she looked down at Alby.

"Alby-"

"Do what you want, I won't stand by and be a part of this." Alby interjected pulling himself to his feet and stalking out of the room, leaving behind a feeling of unease and disappointment as the door slammed close.

"So let me get this straight," Frypan snorted, "you want us to go head-to-head with the Grievers, go hang out in their bachelor pad and die trying? Are you shucking nuts?" The other boys all broke out into arguments, each of them yelling to be heard over one another.

"Even if we don't die we'll all be stung."

"It's suicide."

"Not if we get someone to distract the Grievers." The others quieted down and turned towards Thomas their mouths hanging open in horror at what he had just offered. "Being stung was one of our variables, they're meant to kill us now, but they've been programed to only go after one Glader each night maybe if someone distracted them-"

"A sacrifice, a shucking sacrifice? You want us to throw out some poor kid and let the Grievers have them so we can escape?" Winston asked letting out a bark of sickened laughter as he shot Thomas a glare.

"All we'd need is a distraction, but basically yes. And Sadie and I are going to be the ones to do it." Before Sadie could utter so much as a "shuck yeah" Newt had them both by the elbow and was dragging them out of the meeting room. As they were pulled away from the Gathering, sounds of arguing erupted in their wake as the door slammed closed behind them.

"You two," Newt muttered releasing their arms as the door closed. "need to clear out so we can make a decision. And you will not volunteer for something as stupid as that ever again. Especially not with her!"

"Newt, I'm sorry but we have to-"

"I don't give a bloody crap, stop playing the noble hero, both of you, good that?" Sadie had to admit it was a little crazy of Thomas to do what he'd just done, but if she was being honest she would have ended up volunteering anyways.

"Newt."

"No Sadie." He grumbled turning back towards the meeting room door and yanking it open.

"But-" Newt turned around quickly and grabbed onto Sadie's chin his fingertips pressing into her jaw as he looked into her eyes fiercely. Sadie wanted to argue, both Thomas and Sadie were Runners, both of them knew the most about the Maze and they were best equipped for the job. But if the tables were turned and she was telling Newt not to go, she would have been doing the exact same thing. So instead she just met his intense gaze and gave him a nod. He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Sadie's forehead.

"Hell no." And with that he turned around and re-entered the meeting room leaving Thomas and Sadie outside.

* * *

"Well that was stupid." Sadie muttered as her and Thomas walked away from the Gathering, their hands stuffed in their pockets.

"I'm sorry I volunteered you, I really am I just knew that you would do it. And the only reason I'm doing it is because, I feel like- like I have to fix everything, like I have to make up for designing the Maze."

"Like you need to save everyone?" Sadie added her mind traveling back to the multiple memories she'd had of her pouring over map after map, of her running in the Maze by herself since the beginning, trying to find a way out. She'd been taken from those girls, she was supposed to help them find a way out and she'd failed them. She couldn't let these boys down. She couldn't be a disappointment to herself again. "I know the feeling."

* * *

Newt left the meeting in a rush. He limped as fast as he could in search of Sadie and Tommy. He'd done it, he had successfully convinced the Keepers to go with Tommy's plan, but convincing the rest of the Glade was a whole other story.

"Newt?" A voice called out from somewhere above Newt's head. He turned around in a slow circle and peered up into the canopy of leaves in one of the many trees that bordered the Glade. Sadie was sitting on a branch her legs dangling over and her feet swinging back and forth.

"What are you doing love?"

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" She snapped, her voice snippy but her smile bright. Newt shook his head and held out his hand waving for her to come down. Sadie grabbed onto the branch with her hands and swung down, still clasping onto the branch so that her body dangled from the tree. "Stand clear, a 5'1 Runner is about to deploy." Newt chuckled and stood under her.

"It's okay I've got you." Sadie was hanging just low enough that her legs could easily be draped over Newt's shoulders. He grasped onto her ankles and felt her weight on his shoulders as he walked them out from under the tree. Sadie griped onto Newt's hair and laughed nervously.

"Yeah okay, you can put me down now." Newt chuckled and began walking faster. Sadie's grip tightened on him and she let a small yelp as Newt broke out into a jog. "Holy shucking god! Newt… Newt! I'm shucking serious, put me down."

"Why?" He laughed as he spotted Tommy and Teresa in the distance, the two of them sitting side by side near the Box. Sadie was clasped onto him like a cat that had been caught in the rain, her fingers laced through his hair and her legs tight around his shoulders.

"Because I'm short and the sudden altitude change is making my ears pop, just shucking put me down." She replied with another shaky laugh. Newt complied and reached up grabbing onto Sadie's waist as he helped her hop down from his shoulders. Sadie grumbled as they walked over to Teresa and Tommy her face bright red as they headed towards the Box. Newt was glad for the small moment, with the impending severity of the plan they were about to follow looming over him, a bright moment, even if it only lasted a couple of minutes, was enough to make it seem worthwhile. _When we escape, it can always be like this_. Newt thought, gripping Sadie's hand tightly. _The two of us together without a bloody care in the world. _With the idea racing through his head he approached Tommy and quickly told him that the other Keepers had agreed. The plan was a go.

* * *

The next couple of hours were crazy. Most of the boys in the Glade agreed to go for the run; even Alby had decided to give the plan a try. Those who didn't spent their time sulking around as the rest prepared to leave. Frypan, Teresa, and Chuck were distributing food and water while others passed out backpacks. Sadie was set up in the weapons room with several others including Newt and Thomas. All of them handed out weapons and worked on making new ones. With a bit of twine and some knives, spears were made and sticks were sharpened into spikes. Sadie soon discovered that if you wrapped a random object with enough barbed wire and pointy things any boy would accept it as a weapon. The Gladers' were beginning to look like a small, ramshackle army. Sadie wasn't sure if all of them would make it, but they'd sure give those Grievers hell.

After everything had been prepared, Frypan gathered them all up for one final meal. The air was thick with feelings of fear and panic as everyone spoke to one another nervously. Sadie was at a table with Newt, Minho, Thomas, Chuck and the others. And even on what may as well have been her last night Sadie was still hungry enough to devour her food, it made her stomach turn as thoughts of what they were about to do swirled in her head.

* * *

"The plan's simple. Get in, get some info and get out." The man briefing Sadie instructed, the cloth he'd tied over his mouth muffled his gruff voice. Sadie felt bad for him and the other adults that ran the organization she'd become apart of. With the threat of disease still high, most of them didn't leave the compound, and when they did they always had to cover up, like Mr. Muscle-Man Jarhead before her. Sadie wasn't paying much attention. She must have heard the plan over a hundred times by then.

It was anything but simple, in fact in Sadie's mind there was a whole list of things that could go wrong, but she had been selected, because of her knowledge of Wicked's headquarters. She knew the building inside and out, after spending most of her childhood in the whitewashed walls of the building, it had quickly become as familiar as the palm of her hand. All she had to do was wait for the other renegades to clear the area out, she'd sneak in, take down as many as she could, find the man in charge and do whatever it took to get some answers out of him and then, get rid of him all together. No, it didn't seem simple at all to Sadie.

* * *

"Sadie?" Minho asked flicking her arm as the boys stared at her in confusion. She blinked a couple of times to clear the memory from her head. Sadie looked around and realized that her body had grown as tense as a coiled spring. "Jeez, it looks like you're getting ready to stab some poor shuck with your fork." Minho commented. Sadie rolled her eyes and forced her grip on her fork to loosen.

"Keep talking and I just might." She mumbled her voice edgy from the memory. "What are you shucks talking about anyways?"

"We were wondering who we are all named after." Chuck answered his mouth full as he gestured around the small table with his fork, his mouth stuffed to the bursting point with mashed potatoes. Sadie let out a loud laugh and shook her head. The idea seemed hilarious, that at a time like this, when they were all about to face a certain death, Chuck was concerned about the origin of his name._ Well someone has their priorities straight. _"Newt and Thomas are obvious ones. Isaac Newton and Thomas Edison, no one has any idea who you and Minho are named after and I'm…" Chuck looked around hopefully, his voice leaving a clear opening for someone to fill in his sentence. Minho picked at his food with an uninterested glare while Newt shrugged. Finally Thomas spoke up.

"Maybe it's short for Charles, like Charles Darwin the dude who came up with the theory of evolution." Sadie laughed and nodded in agreement her arm reaching across the table to ruffle Chuck's hair. The promise her and Thomas had made him still rung clear in her mind. She wondered if Chuck was as scared as she was, no doubt he had to be.

After another few minutes of chatter, mostly on Chuck's part, Newt looked down at his watch and gave everyone at the table a nod before walking off. Sadie watched as Newt helped Alby gather everyone up, even though Alby seemed to be acting like himself again Sadie still knew that Newt was acting leader. And it was time to go.

"If this doesn't work Thomas I'll kick your ass." Minho announced simply, as if he was informing everyone of the weather as they came to a stop in front of the West exit. Newt turned towards the group of Gladers and cleared his throat, his hand finding Sadie's as he spoke to them.

"There are about forty-one of us. Get your weapons ready and get ready for a fight. We're going to make it to the Griever whole, and get out of this buggin' Maze. Good that?" Newt said raising his deadly looking spear in the air as the other Gladers echoed his movement with their own weapons.

"Shouldn't someone give a pep talk or something?" Minho asked as he picked at the handle of the machete in his hands. Newt gave him an eye roll and a shrug.

"Be my guest." Minho turned and faced the crowd, his face grim and his voice a dry and quiet roar.

"Be careful. Don't die."

"Great. We're all bloody inspired." Newt commented as he turned towards Sadie. "You wanna say anything to them love? A lot of them look up to you, they really do." Sadie turned towards the crowd and took in all of their faces. It still felt like she'd been in the Glade forever, like the boys around her weren't just the people she'd been trapped with. They were her brothers, her friends, her family. Sadie realized that she would probably never see some of the faces she saw in the crowd again, but the thought didn't scare her, it fueled her.

"The Creators have been treating us like lab rats since we were little, but you know what? Not anymore. We're going to take the fight to them, and we'll take down every Griever in this shucking Maze while we do it! We aren't an experiment! We are people, and we will escape! The Grievers and Creators better be scared, because tonight we are NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!" The boys around her cheered, all of them calling out whoops of battle as the brandished their weapons and stomped their feet. _This is it. _Sadie thought, as she chanced a glance in Newt's direction. Newt gave her a determined nod and pulled her into a deep kiss. His arms wrapping around her waist as she held his face tightly between her hands. She'd have to remember this as she fought. She would have to remember the sounds of their cheers and the echoes of all of their yells and the feel of Newt's lips on her own as she fought the Grievers. _This is worth fighting for, this is something to escape for. _Sadie thought as their lips disconnected, their foreheads still pressed together.

"Stay safe love."

"You too." The boys around them roared and the two joined in, thrusting their weapons into the air as their voices cut through the night. Sadie grabbed onto Newt's hand, Minho appeared at her left and Thomas and the others fell in behind them. With one final cheer they ran into the Maze, Newt's limp didn't hold him back from keeping up with Sadie as they pelted into the inky grayness of the Maze corridors. _We're coming Creators, we're going to get out of this freaking maze and then we are going to find you._

* * *

**_Hey guys, so i decided to upload another chapter today because i was bad and didn't upload one last week. I know I know sorry. Anyways hope you're getting as excited as i am and i hope you liked that bit of Sadie and Newt fluff, i wanted something sweet to happen before all the dark stuff to come. _**

**_Anyways a lot of people have been private messaging me asking questions about the story (which i love by the way) and sometimes their accounts wont let me reply so ill just try and answer the questions i receive the most often._**

**_FAQ_**

**_1.) Yes I will continue to write for the whole _****_trilogy, i have some big plans for the next book coming up._**

**_2.) I use so many exclamation marks because Sadie yells a lot and likes to yell to get her point across._**

**_3.) Yes i do like the ship ThomasxMinho, and would you guys like it if i included that in the story? Give me some feedback and ill consider adding it in!_**

**_4.) Yes Sadie does hate apples, I don't know why I just decided to add it in for some reason. I don't know man, she just hates them._**

**_5.) If Sadie and Newt were to have a ship name it would be Sewt cause it sounds adorable and like soot. _**

**_6.)About that certain death of a certain character *SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS* Newt in the Death Cure, you guys will have to wait and see :)_**

**_Anyways thanks for all of the follows and stuff I really really appreciate it and I love reading your comments. See you guys next week, and thanks for sticking with Sadie :)_**


	22. It's Time to Leave

The pounding of feet echoed against the ivy covered walls as Sadie and the Gladers' thundered through the Maze like a tidal wave. Beetle blades flashed angry red lights as they passed beneath them, making the message all too clear, that they were being watched. Those not used to running began to fall back, gasping for air as the group continued the surge forward around each turn and down each hallway with Minho in the lead. As the time went on Sadie felt Newt begin to draw back on her hand.

"You," he panted, "Go up there with Minho, I'll take a spot somewhere in the middle." Sadie shook her head and reigned back on her pace falling in beside Newt again. She gave him a sharp look, a clear warning in her eyes as she found herself in the middle of the pack with him.

"No. We stick together."

* * *

It took an hour for the Gladers to reach the Cliff. Newt hadn't run like this in a while, the feeling and pain was familiar but the difficulty brought on by his leg was all new. Sweat dampened his neck and brow as his lungs cried out in pain. It was easier to keep pace now that they were in the middle, because Sadie of course had stubbornly decided to run alongside him. She kept his pace easily, grabbing onto his arm whenever she knew a sharp turn was coming up, her hand grasping onto his forearm every time his leg caused him to stumble slightly. When Minho pulled to a stop up ahead, they all halted, waiting silently as the Runner peered around the edge of the wall.

"C'mon." Sadie mumbled tugging Newt's hand as she led them towards the front, Alby coming up behind them as they reached Minho and Thomas.

"There's a dozen at least. Maybe even fifteen. They're just sitting there, just shucking waiting for us!" Minho growled angrily, his hands racking through his hair as a wave of fear passed across all of their features. Newt felt his pulse quicken and his stomach drop. Sadie turned to look at Newt her eyes glassy with a look of horror that he had never quite seen on her before. He'd never seen her so terrified, she'd always been the brave one, the reckless one, the do-stupid-things-that-others-are-too-scared-to-do-because-it's-the-right-thing-to-do one. Fear makes people do crazy things. It drives people into dark corners and brews dark thoughts. He would know more than anyone.

"We all were expecting a bloody fight." He said, not quite sure where the bravery had come from. This had all seemed simpler when they had planned it out, the 'go out trying' encouragement that had fueled them before supplied Newt with nothing now. It was easier to sound brave than to actually be brave, especially when the fight was just around the corner.

Before Thomas or the others could say anything else the loud whirring and groaning of Grievers echoed on every side of them. Newt could see them rolling towards the group herding them into the center where three of the Maze corridors met in a _T_ shape. Blades screeched as they were dragged against the stone walls, while the arms snapped and the knives whirred like chainsaws. Grievers rolled towards them on every side, cutting off their chances of escape and leaving them with only one option. They all came to a stop, all of them sitting idly, silently, their skin gleaming oily and their arms and needles _click-clacking _as they watched, and waited.

* * *

The Gladers all pressed into together, pushing Sadie up front so that she was tightly pressed against the sides of Newt and Teresa. Thomas, Minho, and Alby stood nearby taking up the front as all of the boys stood in silence, clutching their weapons as the Grievers waited calmly. It almost seemed like they were enjoying it, like the Grievers were proud of the little trap they had set. Sadie wondered suddenly if they could, would the Grievers be smiling right at them? She shuddered at the thought and pressed closer to Newt's side, she could feel him and Teresa trembling, all of the Gladers were shaking like leaves in a storm.

"What are they doing? Why are they just sitting there?" Thomas whispered, his voice startling them all in their terrified silences.

"I don't know Thomas, maybe they're waiting, maybe they can only take one a night. But- I don't know." Sadie replied her voice quiet. Sadie felt something brush past her arm and turned to see Alby pushing his way through the crowd and then walk towards the Cliff, the Grievers began to groan and click in excitement.

"Alby, what the bloody hell are you doing? Get back here!" Newt ordered stepping forward as Alby drew farther and farther from the group. And then the Keeper broke out into a full run, straight towards the Grievers.

"Alby!" Sadie screamed, her cry joining others as they all yelled at their leader. Newt tore away from the group and surged forward Sadie yelled for Thomas's help as she grabbed onto his arm and held him back. Newt struggled against them, cursing and yelling as they all watched in horror as Alby jumped onto the first monster. The other ones attacked immediately, their blades whirring as metal tore into skin and Alby's screams cut through the night. Sadie felt tears prick at the edge of her eyes as she gripped Newt's arm.

"Alby!" Newt yelled, his struggling coming to a halt as Alby's cries diminished into silence. The Grievers still pilled and pushed against each other all of them carving in cruelly to their leader, feasting on him. _He's gone. _ She thought, her stomach turning. Had Alby been that terrified of going back? What horrors had the Grief Serum shown him that could have convinced him to turn to this? Was death really better then what was waiting for them on the other side?

"We have to make a go for it." Minho said, clamping a hand down on Thomas and Newt's shoulders. "We'll fight them off, make a path for Thomas and Teresa, and you," He said pointing a finger at Thomas, "you punch in that code and get us the hell out of here. We can't let Alby's sacrifice go to waste." And as if the Griever's had heard Minho's statement, they all began to roll towards them. Their knives glittered and their needles clinked as the moved in on either side of them, at an agonizingly slow pace. Alby's sacrifice had failed.

"We have to clear a path!" Sadie yelled in Minho's direction as she hoisted her spear. The Keeper nodded and turned towards the group his face grim as he tried to speak over the sounds of the advancing Grievers.

"Listen up! We're going to go straight for the Cliff. Our number one priority is to clear a path and get Teresa and Thomas to the Cliff. Sadie, Newt and I will lead. Stay together and push them out of the way!" The Gladers all nodded fiercely and readied their weapons, Teresa, Chuck, and Thomas positioning themselves in the rear as Sadie found her way towards the front. Sadie pulled out her long curved blade, a spear gripped tightly in her opposite hand. She felt small and weak, the weapons seemed insignificant in comparison to what they were about to face, but the glint of blades in the hands of the Gladers around her gave her some of her confidence back. "Ready!" Minho yelled, raising a barbed wire wrapped spear into the air. "Now!"

Sadie and Newt took off after Minho, the boys around them roaring as they ran into battle. They crashed into the Grievers. Sadie's spear piercing blubbery skin and clanking against it's metal interior as screams and roars pierced the night. She tore out her splintered spear and plunged the sharp end into the Griever over and over again. Her other weapon slashed at it's sides as she tried to herd it against a wall. The Griever let out an earsplitting scream as it rolled, attempting to crush her under its needles and body. Sadie ducked, rolling against the ground and out of the way only to find herself in the middle of the bloody fight. The stone hallway was filled with the screams of Gladers, the groaning of engines and the clash of metal against metal. Red flashed in Sadie's peripheral vision and she heard a scream for help, so she did the first thing that came to mind, she ran back into the fight, and towards three monsters. One had a boy pinned against the wall, she couldn't make out his face but from the sound of his screaming she knew things weren't good. She threw her spear with deadly precision, sending it flying like a javelin as it found its mark in the Griever's back. She didn't stop there, no, it was enough to draw away the creatures attention as she leapt and tore into it's skin with her knife, her other hand yanking on a grease covered appendage until it came loose, causing the Griever to scream. The Griever dropped the boy. Its body falling into a limp puddle on the ground as she yanked her spear out of its hide.

"Sadie!" A voice called, causing her head to snap around in a frenzy.

"Newt!"

"Sadie duck!" She did as she was told and dived, her shoulder hitting the ground with a painful cracking as a spear whistled overhead. She looked up to see it embedded into the open maw of a Griever that had been mere seconds from ripping into her. Newt ran over pulling her up from the ground. She yelled a quick thanks and spun until her back was pressed against his, her hand reaching down to pull a machete from her belt as another Griever whirled towards her.

"We stick together!" She yelled her blades slashing against its side, Newt's spear dove into its skin, causing the Griever to retreat from them. Sadie saw a flash of movement out of the corner from her eye and heard Minho yelling for them to keep the path clear for Thomas and the others. Newt's arms looped through hers, picking her up against his back as he swerved them away from a Griever with another Glader in it's clutches. Judging by the throat wrenching screams, the Glader wasn't winning the fight. The sounds around them grew into an orchestra of terror, screams, and pleas for help echoed as metal clashed and knives sliced into skin, causing sickening sounds to build up as blades snapped and engines wailed on every side of them. Sadie continued to slash with her blades left and right. Her machete eventually stuck into the underbelly of a Griever and it rolled away from her, taking her weapon so that she had to resort to fighting with the dozens of smaller knives that she had strapped to her sides and legs. She threw blades at every nonhuman flash of skin she saw.

* * *

Newt fought at Sadie's back, both of them working to keep the Griever's pressed against the right side of the Maze walls. They moved together, spinning and pushing their way forward, clearing a path as they neared the Cliff. A Griever steam rolled towards Newt and was nearly on top of him, he drove his knife upwards, cutting through it's gaping mouth as an arm sprang out and grabbed him from around the waist. Newt let out a yell as it plucked him off the ground, it's red eyes flashing at him as the hot oily skin began to grow closer.

"Newt!" Sadie screamed from somewhere behind him and the Griever let out a howl. Several daggers embedded themselves in it's side and Sadie jumped onto it's back her arms raising as she drove her knife into it causing the Griever's attention to be drawn to the new pain in it's back. Newt grabbed onto his knife – still stuck in its gruesome face, and used it as leverage to pull himself out of its grasp. He pulled himself onto it, slimy skin pressing against his body as he slid towards Sadie his arm outstretched as he looped it around her waist. Together they drove their blades into it's back as the slid over its oily body. Newt felt metal arms and blades bang against his sides as him and Sadie left a ravaged and torn path in their wake. They slid down it like a slide their feet hitting the ground hard and sending them tumbling away from the monster as the Gladers fought similar battles around them.

"Are you okay?" Newt yelled over the noise.

"No, but I'm not dead either!"

* * *

"They're in!" Someone yelled from up ahead, causing the surviving Gladers around them to roar. Sadie pulled herself to her feet and yelled, her voice surprisingly loud as she called for the boys' attention.

"Make way towards the Cliff! Keep them from the entrance until Thomas shuts everything down. Together now!" The Gladers' did as they were told, thundering towards the Cliff in a pack as the Grievers rolled after them. They made a wall in front of the Cliff's edge their spears raised as boys hacked and sliced into the thick skin of the Grievers, trying desperately to keep them at bay as Thomas and the others, hopefully, punched the code in. _Hurry Thomas! _Sadie thought wildly as another Glader was plucked from their ranks and tossed backwards into a group of frenzied Grievers, his screams trailing after him.

One monster, smarter then the rest, waited until a small opening appeared and roared through it, plowing over two unlucky Gladers as it disappeared from sight into the Griever Hole. _Shit!_ Sadie thought her blade sinking into a creature as she prayed that Thomas had the sense enough to keep watch while Teresa typed in the code.

It was difficult to kill the monsters, but not impossible, fallen Grievers lay behind the advancing ones, their bodies gray and limp as yellow goo flowed from their bodies like blood. Sadie was bathed in the stuff by now, her legs reeking of motor oil as more of it leaked from the Griever she was cutting into.

The Griever's pushed the Gladers backwards until Sadie felt her heel scrape against the edge of the Cliff, she let out a scream as a claw sliced into her thigh and suddenly became aware of the bruised and bleeding injuries that littered her body. Her back was cut and her sides ached from the battering they had received. They weren't going to survive for much longer.

And then everything froze.

The Grievers' arms sunk back into their flesh and their motors powered down leaving them sprawled in front of the Gladers in lifeless balls. Sadie let out a sob of relief and sunk to her knees. A terrified and relieved laugh wracked through her body as the boys around her broke into a triumphant roar. She felt two arms lace around her and yank her up into a hug. _Newt. _

He crushed her against his chest as the others clapped each other's backs, some whooping and others sobbing as they hugged and yelled to each other. Minho came up behind them and pulled them both into a hug, his voice hoarse from shouting as he yelled into their ears.

"It's over. We did it. It's all over!" Sadie whooped in response and raised her fist in the air, the other boys following her lead as she faced the Griever hole.

"How many?" Newt interrupted his voice quiet. "How many did we loose?" The boys around them silenced as they looked back at the blood bath they had barely escaped.

"A lot. We lost too many." Minho replied his voice sharp and serious as he took in their number of losses. Sadie felt her heart sink as she took in the battered and torn up group of boys before her. Half. They'd lost half of the boys they had come with. And here she was shouting and whooping with laughter. Sadie felt her stomach turn in guilt as the adrenaline began to leave her body. She was aching and bleeding, they had all scraped by, but it had been close, now wasn't the time to celebrate, or to mourn.

"It's time to leave!" She shouted, motioning for the boys to gather at the Cliffs edge. Minho was the first to jump through the square of gray and blink out of existence. Sadie jumped next an icy feeling cutting through her body as she slid down a metal shoot and out of the Maze.

* * *

"Minho! Newt, Sadie!" Tommy yelled as they fell into a small room, with nothing but a computer and a narrow hallway leading off into darkness. "Are you guys alright?"

"Half," was all Newt could say as the twenty one surviving Gladers fell into the room behind them, "Only half of us survived." Tommy's face melted into one of defeat as he took in the sight of them. They all probably looked worse for wear.

"Let's not start this here." Sadie spoke up from Newt's side her hand tightening in his as her voice came out angry and hard. "Yeah we lost a lot of good Gladers, but we cant wait around here and count our losses. That's an insult to their memories. We need to get out of here, if we get out then they'll leave with us." Newt felt himself nod and watched as the other boys murmured in agreement. Sadie had come far, she was no longer the small, confused girl that had shown up in the Maze. The Gladers all showed her respect now that had been nothing but distrust a mere few days ago.

"Sadie's right. Let's get the hell out of here, I'm tired and never want to see this shucking Maze ever again." Minho added his voice strong as he led the rest of the boys into the narrow tunnel Sadie and Newt took up the rear with Teresa and Tommy. Newt flicked on a flashlight, it's beam bobbing in the darkness as he and Sadie made their way through the tunnel together.

It wasn't long before a surprised yell echoed down the hallway followed by another until all of the boys had stopped in their tracks to whisper to one another nervously.

"It must end in a slide." Teresa whispered from behind Newt as word traveled up to the front of the pack. _Sick bastards. _Newt thought, seething. _The Creators really are treating this whole thing like a game. _ Sadie went first, she sat and pushed forward with a surprised and excited yell that caused the tiniest trace of a smile to pull at Newt's lips. He slid down next. The greasy metal of the slide sent him rushing down into chilly darkness causing goosebumps to rise on his arms. The tunnel smelled awful, a rotting and oily scent filling Newt's nostrils, as the slide seemed to spiral downwards forever.

He couldn't tell how long they had been on it, an hour? Two hours? It felt like forever, and his stomach was tightening with nausea from the constant movement. He was starting to feel fear creep up on him when he felt something bump into his leg. He reached forward and latched onto what felt like an arm, it's owners arm grabbed onto his ankle and gave it a gentle squeeze. _Sadie. _ Newt thought in relief, forcing himself to go faster until he was caught up with her, his arms curling around her sides as the never ending darkness pressed in on them.

"How long have we been falling!" She shouted her voice carried back to him by the rush of wind slapping against their faces.

"I'm not su-" But before Newt could finish the metal disappeared from under them and they both went falling forward, Newt landing on top of Sadie. "Sorry love." Newt mumbled as he crawled off of her the Gladers around him groaning as the stood up and took in their surroundings.

They were in a large chasm, the walls and ceilings high and dark, with machinery and computer panels coating the walls like ivy. But the thing that caught everyone off guard was the wide, dark tinged window that took up one wall. And behind the glass studying them like insects under a microscope were…

"The Creators." Tommy breathed from beside Newt. The people, varying in men and women watched them through squinted eyes behind the glass. Their fingers, like pale claws clutched at pens that danced across the clipboards in front of them. Newt almost couldn't believe it. The people who had sent them into the Maze, all along they'd been nothing but ghostly versions of sickly scientist.

* * *

"What are they doing, who are they?" Chuck whispered, backing up slightly at the sight of the sallow and gaunt looking figures in lab coats. Sadie hugged Chuck, her arms squeezing him tightly as a feeling of roaring rage began to boil in inside of her.

"They're the bastards that sent us into the Maze." Minho growled his face glinting harshly in the fluorescent lighting of the room. "I'm going to shucking punch every last one of their faces in!" He yelled, spitting on the floor angrily. Sadie wanted to yell in agreement she wanted to use every last ounce of energy she had left and throw herself against the window until the glass burst and her fist connected with the face of a Creator. She could see herself now, punching and hitting until her knuckles bled. She and Minho probably would have charged forward that second if it weren't for the sudden beeping and flashing light that began to pulse through the room.

"What's goin' on?" Frypan yelled over the noise all of them clamping their hands over their ears to try and block out the loud beeping. Thomas shrugged and shook his head, his eyes focused on something to the right of all of them. Sadie followed his gaze and watched as a door swung open from the wall and a woman stepped out followed by another figure.

She was average looking with brown hair and watery blue eyes that analyzed them in a calculating, uncaring manner. The words WICKED were stitched across the pocket of her white shirt and the appearance of her sparked a small memory in Sadie. She turned towards Thomas and Teresa and saw the recognition in their faces as well. _I know you._

The woman stopped in front of them, her face neither happy nor threatening as she took them all in. The figure next to hers face was shrouded by a hood, their jacket too large as it draped over their shoulders.

"Welcome back." The woman said in a cool, cut-to-the-chase manner. "I'm surprised to see so many of you survived after almost three years in the Maze. Congratulations."

"_Excuse me?" _Newt hissed from beside her, his voice angry and cold.

"Things went surprisingly well Mr. Newton," The woman replied her eyes focusing on Newt and causing a new sense of anger to coil in Sadie's gut. "We thought that more of you would have given up." She said simply, as if commenting on the weather before reaching up and tugging the hood off of the figure next to her. Everyone let out startled and confused gasp as they took in the face of the person before them.

"Gally?"


	23. Losses and New Hopes

"Gally?"

"What the shuck is he doing here?" Minho barked, seething as he made an advance towards the woman. The Gladers stood in a shocked silence, their eyes weary and confused as they tried to process Gally's appearance. _What is he doing here? What's going on? _Sadie thought her head swimming as the woman turned her calculating gaze onto Minho. She seemed unfazed by Minho's outburst, and ignoring his question, responded with a delicate calm.

"You're safe now, calm down." _That's it? _Sadie felt a surge of anger at the woman's words and clenched her fist, her arms trembling in rage.

"_Calm down!_ You honestly expect us to calm down after all we've been through?" She asked harshly, her eyes narrowing as her gaze shifted from Gally to the woman. "Who's in charge out here? Huh? Who in the hell let you do this to us?" Sadie demanded her legs screaming to move and her fist demanding impact. The woman only _tsk_ed warningly, like a mother, angry at her child's tone.

"I expected more maturity out of you to say the least. Especially from a group that has passed the Maze Trials." She scolded. Newt had to grab onto Sadie's elbow and give Minho a sharp nudge to keep them at bay. Sadie couldn't believe it, they had fought Grievers, they had lost half of their own and had barely survived and now this woman was condescending them like children? Sadie wanted to scream; she wanted to yell at them, because they were children. They were still young, and they had started out young when all of this happened, when they had done this to all of them. And what was Gally doing here? How could he have survived the Grievers? But then again, Sadie had.

"Gally," Thomas called out, his muscles tensing as he tried to keep his voice level. "What's going on? What're you doing?" The woman placed a hand on Gally's shoulder, a slight nod causing the Glader's skin to turn sallow and sticky with sweat. Gally turned towards them, his eyes blood shot and crazed, his fingers and eyes twitching nervously, creepily.

"I- I can't… they're controlling… con-controlling me- they want me.." Gally chocked out, his voice hoarse and manic sounding as his other arm scrambled for his throat.

"Gally!" Sadie called watching in horror as his hand tightened around his throat, silencing him, before slowly reaching behind for his back pocket. Sadie didn't know how, but she knew he had a dagger in his hand before she even saw the glint of the blade. His hand threw it with surprising speed and accuracy, and Sadie could only watch as time itself, seemed to stop. She watched the blade soar in slow motion. Its tip wicked sharp as it raced towards its target, Thomas. She felt something brush her shoulder and saw Chuck jump, intercepting the knife so that it impacted his chest instead. A scream ripped through her throat. But she couldn't hear anything other then the thudding squelch the knife made as it sliced into Chuck's chest. Sadie was aware of two things as time sped up again, of Chuck's strangled scream and of the pain in her legs as she fell to her knees next to him.

Chuck was convulsing, the dagger hilt deep in his chest as blood pooled around him, bathing the floor in red.

"_Chuck!"_ Thomas screamed from beside her, pulling the boy into his arms as blood soaked his shirt and stained his hands. "_Chuck!_ Somebody help! Please, get help!" Tears dripped off Sadie's chin as a sob shook her body like an earthquake, she clasped onto Chuck's already cold hand. While Thomas yelled, Sadie couldn't speak, she could only cry and whisper her friends name as he faded away.

"Thom- Thomas." Chuck croaked his voice thick as blood trickled off of his lips. "Find her Thomas.. – find my mom."

"Hang in their Chucky don't give up." Thomas said, his fingers clutching at Chuck. Sadie felt a weight crushing her, slowly, her lungs collapsed and her bones crushed beneath the pressure. _Thomas. _She wanted to say. _He's gone Thomas. He's gone. _And then Chuck's body went still, his eyes still open, but not seeing them anymore.

When Thomas stood up, his body trembling with hatred and rage, Sadie felt the weight shift.

Thomas surged forward, tackling Gally. His body slamming into his torso as he screamed in anger, his hands clawed at the Glader's face as he pinned him down. When he started to punch him, his fist making sickening crunching noises as they connected Sadie felt her fingers tremble as fire roared in her ears. _I'm going to kill him! _ She thought her body diving towards the fighting pair, her foot ready to connect with the side of Gally's head over, and over, and over again. But before she could make it two arms encased her in a steal trap. Bracing her against a strong chest as she roared.

She was screaming now, her voice back as she struggled to escape struggled to make her mark on Gally, to cause him pain for what he'd done.

"I promised him!" She yelled her nails tearing at the person holding her back and her legs flailing mercilessly as tears clouded her vision. "I promised him a family. We were going to find his mom, going to get him back to her! _I said I was his sister!" _She wailed her eyes stinging as she tried to claw her way to where Thomas was beating Gally. They'd both promised Chuck, Thomas and she had sworn to get him out. She'd failed.

"Sadie." Newt whispered his voice strained as she struggled against him. Sadie felt him turn her, his arms crushing her against his chest and tearing her eyes away from the bloody fight. She beat her fist against his chest, her sobs receding as she slumped into him, her knees giving out. "He's going to kill him Sadie, he's going to kill him."

_Good._

Her eyes widened in terror at the thought. Had she really become this dark, had the Maze hardened her this much? _No. No! _She pulled away and called Thomas her voice clear and strong as she ordered Minho and Newt to help her pull him off Gally. The shank deserved it, he deserved to have Sadie's knife in his throat, but they weren't murderer's, she wouldn't let her friend become one. Thomas flailed and screamed like she had, struggling against the trio as they dragged him away his legs kicking out and even connecting with Sadie's arms a few times. She bit back a yelp and grabbed his face her fingers clutching him as she forced him to look at her.

"Chuck Thomas, think of Chuck!" Thomas stopped, pushing the three away as he rushed to the boy's side, new screams echoing against the walls as he yelled Chuck's name.

"_I promised him! I promised him!" _All Sadie could do was fall to her knees silently, her heart breaking as she watched Thomas weep over, and hug Chuck's lifeless body. An innocent beacon, a hopeful promise was gone, it had died with Chuck.

"Everything that has happened happened for a purpose." The woman said, her voice as cold and unfeeling as before. Sadie had forgotten she was there in her sorrow, and her reappearance filled her with anger once again. But before she could do anything gunshots rang out around them and screams sounded from the doorway the woman had come from. She seemed as shocked as them, her face draining of color as she whipped around to face the door.

The door seemed to explode outward, as grime covered men and women swarmed out, guns and rifles in their hands as their shouts echoed in the cavernous room. Before the WICKED woman could even let out a scream, she was tackled. A man held a gun up and in the blink of an eye three bullets lodged themselves into the woman's body. Killing her instantly.

It was impossible to tell what was happening, the new arrivals, donning dirty and faded clothing fired rustic looking weapons their bullets peppering the glass window as the scientist inside screamed. A man approached them, tugging a bandana from his mouth; his face was young but wrinkled with years of worry as he motioned for them to move.

"I can't explain now but you need to move, you need to run." At the word _run _Sadie's feet did what they were trained to do, her hand clasped Newt's as the Glader's surged forward, and pushed through the glass doors, leaving the gunfire and bloodbath behind them. Everything was a blur of hallways and stairs as they ran, elbows shoved Sadie from every side, but her eyes were focused on the floor, her ears straining to hear the shouting rescuers that were leading the way. They broke out of another set of doors into a thick and heat, heavy rain that pounded down on them. The rescuers ushered them towards a beat up and dented bus, pushing them into a line as they tripped over themselves attempting to file in as quickly as possible.

* * *

A memory, just a small one, flashed in Sadie's mind. She was six, her backpack straps tight over her shoulders as a yellow school bus loomed over her. She turned back to see a smiling woman, her face kind and her hair curly. She waved as Sadie struggled to walk up the steps onto the bus, her heart pitter-pattering in her little chest as she left her mom behind.

* * *

Sadie's eyes were wide as she watched a woman get yanked off of Thomas through the grimy windows. She yelled about the Flare, her voice a hacking cough as a man with a gun tossed her away and pushed Thomas onto the bus.

Teresa and Thomas sat in the isle across from Sadie and Newt, the rescuers from before pilling in around the Gladers as a man gunned the engine. Sadie wasn't aware of much else, except for the two loud thumps that shook the bus. She turned back and saw the woman that had attacked Thomas lying behind them. Sadie's stomach turned and her eyes widened as the outline of the dead woman disappeared as they drove off into the rain.

The next hour or so was a blur. The bus raced at a breakneck speed through cities swarming with people that pelt the bus with angry fist. Their faces, covered in sores and scratches watched them eerily as they drove by, their cries echoing in Sadie's skull. Finally, breaking the confused silence, a woman, her black hair dripping stood in the isle.

"You're probably wondering what's going on." She began, her voice surprisingly warm and friendly. "We don't know when, or even if, you'll get your memories back. But I'll tell you the basics. They call it the Flare, it came out of nowhere and killed thousands, then millions, and then a sickness spread. It's an awful thing. Its physical symptoms are painful, but it does something to your brain." She said, tapping her temple for emphasis as her eyes began to get a far off look, not really seeing them anymore. "It wipes out your humanity, turns you into a monster. It's better to die than catch the Flare. You all were orphaned and chosen to study, to be tested in hopes of finding a cure. You're only a small fraction of the thousands that were taken." Another man rose from his seat, the one from before that had told them to run.

"That's why we're here. We have been fighting WICKED for a long time. They think their cause is worthy, but we know the truth. We have to keep our humanity, and testing children- it- it's disgusting." _Couldn't agree more._

* * *

After another two hours of bumpy driving and brain shaking speed bumps, the bus pulled into a muddy and crater filled parking lot. What came next was probably so shocking that Sadie could have sworn her heart stopped. They were herded up into a dormitory. Soft looking beds with bright sheets and colorful blankets were lined in rows on either side of them. Curtain covered windows were stamped along the walls, their patterns bright and the wall colors happy. It was almost too much, too strange after sleeping in the Glade.

"I've been shucked and gone to heaven." Minho whispered beside her, causing Sadie's lips to crack into a smile, which seemed impossible after what they had gone through. A group of friendly and clean looking adults attended to them. And Sadie was overwhelmed with a number of feelings. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, a swirling swarm of suspicion and sadness swirled below her as the bright walls and smiling workers drew her in with a small flicker of… joy? Hope? She wasn't sure. But it was enough to cause her to smile even wider.

What came next was better. They each took turns showering. It felt so good to rinse the grime and blood away from her body, and to have her cuts and scrapes cleaned up by the gentle caretakers around them. She was given new clothes, a simple maroon shirt and jeans. Sadie felt strange wearing clothes actually designed to fit a girl. She was going to miss the roominess, and the pockets.

"Holy shuck." Sadie breathed in awe as they were fed real, greasy, cheesy, pizza. If she hadn't been happy before than she definitely was now.

Once they had eaten their fill, everyone agreed when the workers told them to get some rest. Sadie was only startled when they started moving her and Teresa out of the room.

"What? What are you doing?" Sadie asked sleepily, her stomach full and content.

"It would be inappropriate to place you in a room with nineteen boys miss." A woman replied her smile sugar sweet as she tried to tug her out the door. Sadie pulled away and snorted her eyes connecting with Newt's as she stood by hesitantly.

"You're kidding? I spent every night with these dumb shanks in the Maze and no one was concerned then." Sadie argued her old fire coming back despite the warmth the food and shower had brought her.

"Well we have different standards here honey." The woman replied her smile still wide and a little unnerving in Sadie's opinion. Sadie cast a final glance over her shoulder at Newt. He mouthed the words 'goodnight' as the door shut closed behind her. Teresa and she were led into an exact replica of the room before. They chose a bunk right by the door, a small table next to it with nothing but a lamp. Teresa climbed onto the top bunk while Sadie settled for the bottom, somewhat begrudgingly, and she could have sworn she heard a lock _click _as the workers shut the door behind them leaving Sadie and Teresa in total darkness.

"Teresa?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you-" Sadie whispered her voice soft in the empty room. "Do you think we're safe now?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I really hope so." Sadie wanted to ask her more, but she could tell they were both tired so she turned on her side and settled under the warm sheets. She peered curiously into the darkness, her mind fogging with sleep as her eyes drooped. Could it actually be possible, were they finally safe? It all seemed too good to be true. Sadie was sure that any minute she would wake up, she'd be back in the Glade, forced to live day after day with survival always on her mind. _At least Chuck and Alby would be alive_. She thought sadly, her heart crumbling as she thought of the little boy and the fearless leader that had been left behind. _You're safe now. _Sadie thought, trying to reassure herself, but she couldn't shake a certain feeling deep inside her gut. But with sleep calling and with her body screaming in exhaustion, she eventually drifted into a sound sleep. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something was definitely not right.

* * *

_**I'm afraid that's it... for now. **_

_**Thank you to James Dashner for creating the wonderful books this was inspired by. None of theses characters were my own EXCEPT of course for my little pain in the ass Sadie.**_

_**All rights reserved to James Dashner blah blah blah so on and so forth.**_

_**The sequel is already out, called "The Bridge II: Scorch Trials" The title will probably actually be explained in there too. Thanks for following and reading, comment if you want.**_

_**And thank you for sticking with me and Sadie. **_


End file.
